Heliocentrism
by Lestaki
Summary: In the aftermath of the final battle for Akibastar, AKB0048 enters a new era as Nagisa and Chieri realise their dreams. A whole galaxy watches as they follow the path of the legendary 13th Acchan together, but both girls know an inevitable parting is waiting for them. Until then, the two girls must learn about each other and themselves, and lead their friends against DES.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: No Name**

The understudies sang above the rubble of Akibastar. Their words danced on the wind and their radiance turned night to day. In the wake of the nightmare, they remained, stars of hope that rose above the misery and devastation. Their song promised a better tomorrow.

Nagisa lost herself moment by moment, following the flow of the music. They had practised so much it had seeped into her bones. She wasn't afraid. She could feel it, breathe it, live it. Her limbs were sore and her throat ached, but warmth and strength flowed outwards from deep in her chest and drove her on. She was dancing by Chieri's side. As they danced, flying above the crowd, their eyes met now and again, their hands touched, and they shared the same euphoria. It was nostalgic. Nagisa returned Chieri's unwavering smile. She could keep up, even now.

Chieri nodded then swept away and circled the crowd. Nagisa followed in a heart-beat and threw out her hand as if to reach the sea of light below them.

Their head-sets whispered their orders. _"Understudies are to fall back to the Flying Get after this song. You've done enough."_

Wild cheering echoed beneath them as they flew upwards. Nagisa waved frantically at the crowd below. Slick sweat clung to her cheeks and neck as she sucked in the cold night air. The light surrounding her faded away, leaving her exhausted and deeply happy. She'd given everything, but it was worth it. She could hear the voices of all the fans cheering for them. Then at last they reached the hangar and the strings supporting her snapped. She fell to her knees and gasped for breath. She tried to stand again, but her legs shook and folded under her.

The other understudies crowded around her. Kanata knelt by Nagisa's side and offered the younger girl her hand. "It's okay. Can you stand?"

Nagisa shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Takamina walked towards them. "She needs to be taken to the medical room."

"Don't worry." Kanata picked Nagisa up and turned to smile at Takamina. "I'm pretty strong, you know. You're needed out there."

Takamina stopped and nodded. "Okay. Look after her."

"I'm fine," Nagisa said. She turned her head slightly as she rested in Kanata's arms, meeting Chieri's gaze. "We really did it."

Chieri nodded and smiled. "Yes. It's thanks to everyone's-"

Yuko lunged across the room and hugged Chieri from behind. "Save that for the interviews. I was right before, you two were amazing." She grinned at Nagisa.

Nagisa smiled at Yuko as tears pricked her eyes. "Welcome back."

"Yeah." Yuko smiled. "It's good to be back."

"Yuko, it's time," Takamina said. "We all have a lot to say, but the audience is waiting for you."

"I'll be right there." Yuko tilted her head and whispered in Chieri's ear. "Congratulations." A heart-beat later, she let go of the younger girl and stepped back.

Chieri turned to face Yuko. "Thank you." She bowed her head.

Takamina turned to address the successors, her eyes blazing. "Earlier, we embarrassed ourselves. This time, we're doing this right. Let's give the audience the concert they deserve."

"Don't worry," Yuko said. Her right hand clenched into a fist. "I'm gonna blow them away."

Takamina smiled. "I'd expect no less. Mariko, can you still perform?"

Mariko wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"This is why you can't just sneak off and join us, Mariko. You're a successor now," Kanata said.

"Sorry. I just wanted to sing with you," Mariko said.

Kanata smiled. "Go get 'em." She carried Nagisa towards the back of the ship as the successors took flight behind her. The other understudies followed her, chatting and laughing. She knelt and placed Nagisa on a bed in the medical room. "There. Now get some rest. I'll get someone to take a look at you later."

"Thanks," Nagisa said. "Sorry about this."

"Stop apologising," Yuka said. "We're all just happy you're a Successor now."

"Exactly. Congratulations, Atsuko," Kanata said.

"Thank you," Nagisa said. She leaned back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "This doesn't feel real."

"So, how does it feel to be a Successor?" Sonata asked, jumping onto the edge of the bed and staring down at Nagisa. "Do you get a voice on your head or something?"

"I don't know. Right now, I just feel tired," Nagisa said. "But before, I don't know, it just feel like I was being supported by someone. Being cheered on, I guess."

"Neat," Sonata said. "I wanna succeed too."

"What about you, Chieri?" Kanata asked. "Did you feel anything? You were brilliant out there."

"Well, a little. I can't really put into words," Chieri said. "But I haven't succeeded to anyone's name."

"I was shocked," Suzuko said. "None of the current Successors have ever done anything like that."

"That's true. It was like magic," Kanata said. She frowned at Chieri. "Could you do those things again?"

Chieri paused for a moment, lost in thought. "If you're all there with me, yes. I can't do it alone. Not yet."

"Chieri will succeed soon," Nagisa said. She tilted her head to look across at the blue-haired girl and smiled. "Definitely. I've succeeded, but she's still a step ahead of me."

"It's not like that," Chieri said. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Either way, what are we going to do from now on?" Yuka asked. "We have Akibastar back, but everything's broken."

"We'll rebuild it," Kanata said. "We reached everyone's hearts today. We won't lose to DES."

"What'll we do if they attack again?" Makoto asked. She laced her fingers together and frowned. "Our defences are still broken, you know. We're in real trouble."

"If they come again, we'll defeat them again," Chieri said. "We won't run away this time. But I don't think they'll attack again any time soon. I saw their leaders face to face. They were afraid of me. More than all the hatred, more than all the anger, there was fear. So much fear." Her fingernails bit into the palms of her hands.

"Good. If that'll make them think twice before fighting us, it's for the best." Kanata glanced at Chieri. "You fought without hurting them. You're in the right."

"I know. They're people just like us, so we can make them understand," Chieri said. She looked at the others and smiled. "If we do our best, we'll be fine. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"That's right," Orine said. "Yuko is back as well."

"Yeah. It was pretty scary when she disappeared," Yuka said.

"I suppose in a way, Mii-chan's plan worked," Suzuko said. "But Yuko was the only one to return."

Nagisa stared at Chieri, trying to read her facial expression through the heat haze of illness and exhaustion. But even when she could concentrate, she never knew what to make of Chieri's smile.

Mikako stepped into the medical room. "Okay, kids, that's enough. I'll take a look at her, then she can get some sleep."

"I'm okay," Nagisa said.

"You're not okay. And everyone needs to rest, not just you," Mikako said. "Tsubasa's orders. Tomorrow will be very busy." She eventually managed to chase the understudies out of the room.

Chieri paused by the door. "Get well soon."

"I will," Nagisa said.

Mikako pushed up her glasses before sitting on the bed next to Nagisa and taking her pulse. "How does it feel to be Atsuko?"

"The others asked that as well, but I don't really know," Nagisa said. She yawned.

"Well, you're still incomplete. You'll feel it more strongly soon enough," Mikako said. "Are you scared? Everyone will have enormous expectations."

"I'll be fine," Nagisa said. "I've wanted this for a while now, and I'll still be with Chieri."

Mikako smiled. "So you realise as well."

"I saw her open the gate. I know she's the Centre Nova." Nagisa smiled. "Honestly, she's amazing."

Mikako walked away from the bed and pulled a thermometer from one of the drawers. "Jealous? You were also aiming for the top, as I recall."

"A little. But I'm also happy," Nagisa said. "I just want to go as far as I can by her side."

"I see," Mikako said. She put the thermometer in Nagisa's mouth. "Well, things will get interesting from now on. Tsubasa doesn't know what to do."

Nagisa tried to mumble something around the thermometer before giving up.

"Maybe that's not something I should say around you, but I don't think I can treat you as a child any more," Mikako said. "There's never been anyone who opened the gate as an understudy before now, so Tsubasa wants to know who Chieri's succeeding right away. In the worst case, it'll be the name of an existing member. You can imagine the problems that would cause."

Nagisa nodded.

"Well, either way, Chieri's opened the gate. Perhaps it's our traditions that have to change to accommodate her." Mikako glanced at the clock. "Okay, that's enough." She took the thermometer from Nagisa.

"Miss Tsubasa will make sure Chieri can perform," Nagisa said. "She revived the Centre Nova position, after all."

"So she did, and she's over the moon right now, though she doesn't show it." Mikako stared at the thermometer. "But I can't agree with that. Chieri might lose her way on the path and fall from grace, or she might make it to the summit of the world and vanish. Either way, we're sacrificing a young girl for our own convenience."

"It's not a sacrifice," Nagisa said. "She's pursuing her dream. I'd do the same thing in her place."

"I know. But are you really fine with her disappearing?" Mikako said. She stared down at Nagisa. "Once Chieri has graduated, you'll never see her or talk to her again. Are you prepared for that parting?"

Nagisa looked away and fell silent.

Mikako stepped back."Orrysay, my bad. I shouldn't talk so much when you're sick."

Nagisa lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "It's fine."

* * *

Once the concert was over and the Flying Get set down at last to wait out the night, Yuko met with Takamina and Tsubasa in Tsubasa's quarters. She leaned against the wall. "What do you need, boss?"

"I'm sorry for calling you here so late, but there are urgent matters to discuss," Tsubasa said. She sat on a small swivel chair before her cramped desk, looking across the small room at the younger girls. "I'd appreciate your input."

"Isn't this more Takamina's thing?" Yuko said. She smiled when Tsubasa pursed her lips. "Just saying. I'm listening."

Takamina sat on Tsubasa's bed and looked across at the older woman. "I assume you've set a timetable for Nagisa's succession at this point? Let's start there."

Tsubasa sighed. "Our first priority is to reconstruct Akibastar, but you're right. I'll need to visit the shrine to confirm for form's sake, but it's almost certain. Takamina, I'll need you to consider how best to integrate her into the main group."

"Yes. Well, she's Atsuko, so I guess special treatment is necessary," Takamina said. "Normally, I'd give her a shot in the front row right from the start, but it's crowded there right now. Especially with Chieri."

"We'll decide that based on her ability. I'm approaching the question with an open mind," Tsubasa said. "But on that note, I need to confirm Chieri's new name. Once that's done, I want to move her into training full time with the Successors. To put it bluntly, I need you two to groom her to become the Centre Nova."

"I thought we'd come to that," Yuko said. She folded her arms tightly and stared at Tsubasa.

"Her radiance today was completely different from what she's demonstrated before now, to the point she could open the gate. We haven't seen so much duallium resonance since Ac- since the Thirteenth Atsuko Maeda," Tsubasa said. "I know this isn't easy for you, Yuko. But you're the most experienced centre of this era. I need you to guide her."

Yuko shrugged. "I'll do what I can. Pretty sure she'll be fine either way, though."

"Thank you," Tsubasa said. "Regardless of her talent, she lacks experience. She'll need you both."

"It goes without saying that we'll help our friends if they need it," Takamina said. "But the fact we know nothing about who she's to succeed worries me. If it turns out like Kanata-"

"We haven't seen anything to suggest that," Tsubasa said.

"Who says Chieri is succeeding to a name, anyway? She isn't feverish or anything like that," Yuko said.

"She possessed that much radiance," Tsubasa said. "She has to be ready."

"If you say so," Yuko said. "Well, at least she doesn't seem like a Yuko."

"Or a Takahashi Minami," Takamina said. "But this is exciting. The new generation is finally ready to replace us."

"Who says they're replacing us?" Yuko said. "Even if Chieri's the Center Nova, I'm not going anywhere."

"You'll be fine. You're a lot younger than me." Takamina looked at her hand. "But it feels like I'm running out of time. I can't forgive myself for what happened today."

"Today you did everything you could under extremely difficult circumstances," Tsubasa said. "There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"The fact of the matter is we fled and left the understudies to fight instead," Takamina said. Her hand curled into a fist. "As a Successor, I should always lead the way for them. If I can't do that-"

Yuko pushed herself off the wall with a smile and stepped forwards. She grabbed Takamina's shoulders and pushed her down onto the bed before the green-haired girl could react. "Loosen up. Just how many mistakes do you think we've made before now?"

Takamina lay back on the bed, staring up at Yuko with wide eyes. "I know that. But today was different."

"We lead the way for them. Right now, we need to show them how to stand up again after screwing up," Yuko said. She put her hand on Takamina's cheek. "I won't let you run away."

Takamina's eyes widened. Yuko's hand was shaking. She pushed Yuko away and sat up. "Okay. Right back at you."

"I'm fine." Yuko looked away.

Tsubasa coughed. "In any case, Takamina, this is an important time for AKB. I need you to oversee the transition to a new formation and support those two."

Takamina nodded. "I understand."

"We have some time," Tsubasa said. "Our next major concert will be the succession of Nagisa and Chieri. Until then, we will assist with the reconstruction of Akibastar and expand our broadcast work."

Takamina nodded. "I'll let the others know."

"Thank you." Tsubasa turned to Yuko. "One last matter. What happened to you beyond the gate? You said you met Acchan."

"I screwed up, I guess," Yuko said. "I couldn't reach Acchan. But she told me I was needed here and sent me back."

"So she's alive?" Tsubasa said.

"I think so." Yuko smiled. "They're not anywhere I can reach now. But the Center Nova are still singing. They're still fighting to bring hope to the galaxy."

Tsubasa put her hand over her mouth and swivelled her chair away from the girls. "I see. Thank you."

Takamina stood. "We'll head back to our rooms. Good night."

They left quietly and headed for their rooms. "I wonder how long they've been fighting for," Yuko said.

"I'm just glad you're back," Takamina said. "Acchan's right. We still need you."

"I hope so," Yuko said. She stopped short as they reached Takamina's room. "I'm gonna get some fresh air."

"I see." Takamina glanced back at Yuko. "Don't overdo it."

"I'll be careful," Yuko said. She turned and swept through the dark corridors of the Flying Get, humming as she went. She couldn't sit still, much less sleep. She was alive and that was a miracle. She wanted to sing. She wanted to dance. She spun as she walked, moving her hands with practised grace. Stand up. Start over. She'd done it any number of times before. As she headed for the stage at the front of the ship, she heard someone else singing. She picked her way through the scattered props and weapons backstage and stopped a few meters behind Chieri.

Chieri sang to the empty night. Her kirara circled her and scoured the darkness around them away with a pale green radiance. They were beautiful and alone.

Yuko watched from the shadows without making a sound. She clapped when Chieri's voice faded away. "You have a hell of a singing voice."

Chieri looked back at Yuko and smiled. Her cheeks flushed red for a few moments but she held the older girl's gaze without blinking. "Thank you very much."

"Can't sleep?" Yuko asked.

Chieri nodded. "Too much has happened. I'm trying to make sense of it all."

"I know that feeling. Just remember you can lean on us if you need to," Yuko said.

"Thank you. But I think this is something I need to work out by myself." Chieri turned away and looked out into the night. Her kirara settled on her head and closed its eyes.

"I see." Yuko paused for a moment, studying the younger girl's face. "I met Acchan. The Thirteenth, I mean."

"I'm glad to hear that," Chieri said. "Did you manage to climb the stairs?"

"Sadly, no," Yuko said. "That's why I'm back here. But at least I know she's alive. She's still fighting in her own way."

"I only ever saw her perform live once," Chieri said. "But without that, I wouldn't be here today. She was my aspiration."

"Yeah. She was amazing. Seriously," Yuko said. "Everyone loved her so much. And when she disappeared, we were all hurt just as much. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about that, even now."

"You vanished too," Chieri said. "Nagisa was sad, you know. She really likes you."

"Yeah. Sorry about that," Yuko said. She flicked Chieri on the cheek. "But she really likes you as well."

Chieri put a hand over her cheek and glanced at Yuko. "Even knowing what we do, she still aspires to be the Centre Nova. I'm the same."

"Yeah. I was right about you two after all," Yuko said. She stepped forwards and stretched her shoulders. "Want to sing? I need to blow off some steam too."

Chieri smiled. "Fine by me. What do you have in mind?"

"How about 'Dareka no tame ni'?" Yuko said. She began to sing. Her words were sucked away by the darkness but she poured her emotions into her voice until her kirara took flight and shone.

Chieri joined in without hesitation. Her kirara woke from its slumber and shot up into the sky again.

Their voices and their light overlapped, producing an ever-stronger radiance that pushed outwards and illuminated the darkness, meter by meter. Yuko glanced sidelong at Chieri. "Someone's there for you, I'm there for you..."

"We are living for someone," Chieri sang. She closed her eyes for a moment before reaching out into the circle of light beyond the stage. "What can I do for someone?"

Yuko smiled and followed Chieri's gaze into the vast empty space before them. Perhaps this was all she could do.

* * *

Nagisa woke abruptly in the small hours of the morning. Her head ached and she threw off the covers of her bed to expose her feverish body to the cold night. The sound of stifled sobs drilled through her skull. She groped through the darkness and found her phone on the table by her bed. With a touch, she projected light across the room.

Chieri sat on top of the bed on the other side of the door with her head buried in her knees. Her eyes moved as Nagisa shone a light on her and she raised a hand to cover her face. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She choked back another sob and rubbed her eyes on the sleeve of her lacy white pyjamas. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," Nagisa said. She clutched her head and stared at Chieri with tired eyes. She didn't know why Chieri was here. She didn't really know what to do.

"I was just, um, worried about you. But I'll head back to the others," Chieri said. She stood up and swayed as she turned her head away.

Chieri would never ask for help, even if she needed it. Nagisa sat up and reached out limply with her free hand. "It's fine. You can stay here."

Chieri froze a few paces from the door. "You're sick. I don't want to trouble you..."

Nagisa grimaced and closed her eyes for a moment. It was hard to think, but she couldn't just do nothing. "It's okay. I'm actually relieved you're here with me."

"I see." Chieri retreated back to her bed.

Nagisa turned off her phone and slumped down onto her bed again. If she'd been stronger, she'd have run to Chieri's side. But the room blurred as her own eyes filled with exhausted tears. Right now, she didn't have any strength left to give. She could barely make out Chieri's silhouette in the darkness as her friend buried herself beneath the white sheets and cried. Each stifled sob echoed loudly in Nagisa's ears despite her friend's efforts to be quiet. "I guess we're both... in a bad way," Nagisa said. Anything to punctuate that sound with something else.

"I'm sorry," Chieri said. "I was fine all day, but when I tried to sleep, it all came back."

"We had a pretty busy day," Nagisa said. She glanced up at the ceiling through half-closed eyes and groped for more words to fill the void. "Even after, uh, that, you stood up and saved everyone. You're amazing."

"That's not true. I'm weak." Chieri rolled over in bed and faced away from Nagisa. "If I'd talked to him sooner..." Her voice trailed off.

Nagisa shook her head. "You're strong. I know." She tried to imagine seeing her father die, but she didn't even want to frame the thought. It was too frightening. Anyone who could stand up again so soon after experiencing that was strong. But it wasn't as if Chieri felt nothing at all.

"You were more amazing. Without you, we'd have lost everything," Chieri said.

"I wonder about that," Nagisa said. Even if she hadn't been there, Chieri would have done her part as well. But it still felt good to be praised.

"I mean it," Chieri said.

"Thank you." Nagisa shivered. The fever heat was fading as fast as it had come.

Chieri rolled over and looked across at Nagisa. "Good night."

Nagisa pulled the white sheets over her body again. "Night." Chieri didn't cry after that, but Nagisa still struggled to sleep. Up until now, they'd shared the same problem, so she'd felt qualified to help Chieri. But the pain Chieri was going through now was something Nagisa had never experienced. She didn't know what she could do to help, and that was incredibly frustrating. She turned that thought over and over in her mind and railed against the unfairness of it all, but she couldn't find any answers.

Nagisa woke up the next morning and rolled over. Chieri was still slumbering in the bed opposite hers. Nagisa smiled and listened to the slight sound of her friend breathing. Her body was still hot and painful, but seeing Chieri at peace was one weight off her mind. "Good morning."

Chieri's eyes flickered open and glanced at Nagisa. "Good morning."

"Sorry," Nagisa said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Chieri yawned deeply and closed her eyes again. "I'll get up in a minute." She pulled the covers up to her neck.

"Okay," Nagisa said. She sat up in bed and yawned. Her bright orange kirara floated away and bumped repeatedly into Chieri's cool green kirara. She tried to beckon it back to her but both of them darted upwards and circled each other as they bounced around the room.

"Do you remember? Our kirara were born from one kirara," Chieri said. She rested her head against her pillow and watched them dance. "You and I have always been connected."

"I'm always running after you, mostly," Nagisa said. She frowned and put her hands on her knees. "Are you feeling okay? No fever or anything?"

"No. I'm fine." Chieri sat up and yawned. "How are you feeling, Atsuko?"

"Like I want to go back to bed," Nagisa said.

Chieri laughed. "Me too. But we have a lot to do."

"True enough." Nagisa smiled. "But you shouldn't just sneak in here, you know. Miss Tsubasa would get angry."

"I'll be fine," Chieri said. She stood up and pulled her clothes from a chair in the corner of the room. "I just felt like sleeping here, that's all. We're going to be even busier than before, so I don't want to waste what time we have."

Nagisa looked away as Chieri began to pull off her night-dress. Her friend was back to normal, with a strong voice and a firm gaze. The red rings round her eyes were the only sign of last night's pain. "Maybe. But we're friends and rivals. I'll be right there with you."

"I hope so," Chieri said. "I haven't succeeded yet, you know."

"You're the Centre Nova. You'll succeed any day now," Nagisa said. She pulled off the covers to cool her body.

"Perhaps I will," Chieri said. "I don't mind either way, just as long as I can perform on the same stage as you."

Nagisa smiled. "You'd be fine without me."

"Fine isn't good enough. I want to go as far as I can," Chieri said. She finished dressing herself and pulled her tangled hair back. "I haven't combed it. Is it okay?"

Nagisa looked at her and giggled. "Not really. Your bed-hair's really impressive, actually."

"Really? You look fine." Chieri said. "I left my comb back in my room, so it's annoying."

"My hair's shorter. Go and get it," Nagisa said. "The Center Nova can't walk around like that."

"I'll be right back. You should get ready as well, Atsuko," Chieri said. She drifted towards the door. "They'll probably take you to the temple today."

"Okay." Nagisa sat up and stretched her arms. "Thanks for staying with me last night."

Chieri stopped by the door. "Thank you." A moment later, she walked out without looking back.

Nagisa changed alone, her fingers struggling with the buttons of her jacket. Her kirara had settled down again, perching on her shoulder. She sat back and stroked it gently.

Yuko burst into the medical room and slid to a halt. "Good morning, Atsuko."

"Good morning," Nagisa said.

"Tsubasa told me to fetch you. We're going-"

"To the temple, right?" Nagisa said.

"Well, yeah," Yuko said. "Well, we already know what's gonna happen, but Tsubasa insists."

Nagisa stood up and staggered forwards. "My head hurts."

Yuko grabbed her arm. "Just hold onto me, I'll take care of you." She dragged Nagisa to the door.

Nagisa struggled to keep up as Yuko forged a path through the corridors of the Flying Get. She doubted if she'd be fast enough even if she was well.

Chieri was waiting in the hangar. She waved. "Sorry. Tsubasa caught me."

"It's fine," Nagisa said.

Tsubasa sighed. "In any case, we will continue to operate out of the Flying Get for the time being. We're over the temple now, so let's move out. Yuko, be gentle."

"I'm being gentle!" Yuko said. She hugged Nagisa and picked her up bodily, stepping onto one of their floaters.

They flew out into the cold morning air. Nagisa's eyes widened. A crowd of people were waiting below them, crowding the white steps leading to the ruins of AKB's complex. A sea of cheers roared towards them as they noticed the girls flying towards them. She glanced at Chieri.

Chieri waved as she flew towards the people below. "Good morning, everyone!"

Yuko gripped Nagisa's shoulder as she leaned forwards to address the crowd. "I'm the mercurial entertainer, Yuko Ooshima the Ninth! But more importantly, say hello to my new comrade!"

Nagisa closed her eyes for a moment before looking out over the crowd. "Good morning. I'm Atsuko Maeda."

Tsubasa smiled as she flew down behind the younger girls. "We're in a hurry, but we're still AKB. Greet them."

Yuko picked up Nagisa bodily and jumped from her floater a few feet from the ground. "Go easy on her," she said.

"I'm okay," Nagisa said. She let go of Yuko and walked forwards. She was mobbed by fans within moments. One after another, she talked to them, signed things for them, accepted their encouragement with a smile. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Just yesterday, they'd been so angry and so cold. But she'd managed to get through to them. They were kind people after all.

After about forty-five minutes, Tsubasa managed to pull them from the crowd and up the stairs into the courtyard of their old concert hall. "Go carefully," she said. "The rubble here is still unstable."

Nagisa stared out over the bleak mess. This was where they'd performed for Akibastar, time after time. They'd laughed and cried and struggled, always trying to do better than ever before. Plenty of other buildings in the city were damaged, but this place had been annihilated.

"They sure did a number on this place," Yuko said. "Kinda petty, don't you think?"

"The buildings aren't important. As long as we're alive, we can perform," Chieri said.

Nagisa nodded.

"Luckily, the temple's intact," Tsubasa said. "Without that, we would have real problems. But it's not something DES can destroy easily."

She led them through the ruins of the concert hall and down a long, winding staircase. Red torii gates framed the stone steps as they descended into the heart of Akibastar. Yuko supported Nagisa as she struggled to keep up with the others. At the bottom of the steps, they entered an antechamber and changed into pure white robes. Tsubasa donned her priestess's uniform with due ceremony and crowned herself with a head-dress.

"This takes me back," Yuko said. She was the only one who didn't have to change. She ran a finger down the hem of Nagisa's robe. "When I went through this, I was worried they were going to bury me."

Nagisa laughed.

"Come on. We don't have time to waste," Tsubasa said.

Tsubasa mutely guided them through a bamboo forest and out the other side. They came out into a vast, crystalline cave. The walls glittered, reflecting light that descended through veins of crystal from far above. Hundreds of kirara floated through the air and congregated in corners.

Yuko stepped away from Nagisa and waved idly at the kirara. As she extended her arm, a dozen broke off from their lazy flight and circled her, forming a smooth mirror that reflected the images of her predecessors one after the other. "Not me, you silly things. I know who I am. Atsuko, say hi to them."

"Um. Hello?" Nagisa said. The kirara abruptly descended on her en masse, clustering closely about her and glowing with a warm yellow light. Her own kirara floated above her. One by one the circling motes of light flickered as they formed a mirror, imposing her face on that of a dozen generations of Atsuko Maeda.

"Well, nothing we didn't know," Yuko said. "As for the other..."

Chieri extended her arms without saying a word. The kirara stirred throughout the cave, circling towards her before stopping abruptly. They orbited her several meters away from her body, surrounding her in a strange living halo. One by one they glowed, projecting her face at her from a hundred places.

"They're certainly reacting," Tsubasa said. "But why aren't they showing who she is succeeding?"

"Maybe Takamina's right," Yuko said.

"You know it wasn't like this with-" Tsubasa caught herself and stopped abruptly. She glanced at Nagisa. "I haven't seen anything like this before."

"Thank you," Chieri said to the kirara. "Please could you show you the way?"

The kirara of succession moved like a tide, forming a vast line that pointed deep inside the cave.

"What are you doing?" Tsubasa asked.

"I need to see the master," Chieri said. "Atsuko, Yuko, please follow me. I need you both." She set off abruptly, following the line of kirara.

"Interesting," Yuko said. "I'll tag along." She grinned and followed.

Nagisa glanced at Tsubasa before nodding and walking after Chieri. She'd promised to keep up.

Tsubasa ran after them. "Going any further is forbidden! Even if you're the Center Nova, Acchan and Yuko, current members can't enter his presence!"

"The kirara are guiding us," Yuko said. "I think it's worth a try."

Chieri walked on steadily, eyes straight ahead.

Tsubasa stepped in front of her as the cave narrowed into a corridor beyond and raised her arms. "Listen to me! I cannot let you go in here. You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Chieri smiled. "Thank you for worrying about me, Miss Tsubasa. But please let me through." She held Tsubasa's gaze with unblinking eyes. "I need to go, no matter what." Her kirara glowed bright green. One by one the kirara of succession responded, forming a sea of light behind her.

Tsubasa frowned as she stared into the young girl's sapphire eyes. "Please tell me this is based on something more than arrogance."

"Call it intuition," Chieri said. "But I trust it."

Tsubasa sighed and rubbed her forehead with her hand. "Very well. Just promise me you'll come back to us with your radiance intact."

"I promise," Chieri said.

Tsubasa sighed and stepped aside.

"Thank you very much." Chieri bowed to Tsubasa before walking onwards into the corridor beyond. The floor changed from stone back to smooth metal. Beyond the narrow corridor, the space opened out slightly. She stopped momentarily at the doorway.

"If you're gonna turn back, now's the time," Yuko said.

"I'm going," Chieri said. She stepped through.

Nagisa followed her. Yuko caught her eyes as she went and smiled.

The three of them came out into a tall room half-swathed in darkness. The walls were metallic and cold, glowing with a harsh blue light. A series of red, metallic torii gates framed the room and supported the ceiling above. Abruptly, a pair of yellow lights awakened in the darkness beyond the gates.

Nagisa shivered and stopped by the first gate, hugging herself tightly. She could feel an immense, formless pressure pushing against her. It was all she could do just to stay where she was.

Yuko froze as well, putting an arm on the gate and grimacing. "Hey, what the hell is this?"

Tsubasa stopped just in front of the doorway, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

Chieri crossed the first gate and walked on. The wave of pressure intensified abruptly, stopping her cold and blowing her long blue hair out behind her. But she faced the eyes in the darkness with a straight back and firm eyes. "I am Chieri Sono. I am right here."

The wave of pressure abruptly stopped. One eye after another sprouted in the darkness beyond, watching her in silence.

"I want to bring the joy of being alive to all of humanity," Chieri said. "But I'm too weak. I can't do anything by myself. All of you, please lend me your power."

The darkness was silent for a few moments. Then it spoke. **"CENTRE NOVA. CENTRE NOVA. CENTRE NOVA."**

Chieri bowed to the waist. "Thank you very much."

Nagisa put her hands together and beamed at Chieri's back. Really, no matter what, however many times she'd struggled and been discouraged and nearly lost her way- Chieri was amazing.

Yuko whistled softly.

Chieri straightened. "I will devote myself to your cause. But if I fail you, reject me. Atsuko and Yuko can carry your light onwards." She turned back towards the others and smiled.

Tsubasa stepped forwards. "Wait. Sensei-sensei, please heed my request! Who is Chieri succeeding? What is her name?"

"**NO NAME. NO NAME. NO NAME. NONAMENONAMENONAMENONAMENONAME-"**

"I am Chieri Sono," Chieri repeated.

"**NO NAME. CENTRE NOVA." **The voice fell silent and the stars in the darkness blinked out one by one.

"This is impossible," Tsubasa said. "It's completely unprecedented."

Chieri walked back to the others. "Let's go."

Tsubasa led them back to the red-pillared pagoda at the heart of the cave of succession. Atsuko limped and leaned against Yuko as her fever intensified. Yuko caught her as she fell and picked her up. "Take it easy."

"Sorry," Nagisa said.

Yuko knelt and laid Nagisa down on the cold metal floor of the pagoda. "I'll fetch some blankets."

"Thank you," Tsubasa said. She walked to the edge of the pagoda and looked out into the clear water beyond. "Nagisa, you'll remain here until your body has accepted Atsuko Maeda's soul. This place is most suitable for that process."

"Okay," Nagisa said. She put a hand on her forehead and looked up at the lights glittering above her. "It's pretty."

"Chieri, what will you do?" Tsubasa asked.

Chieri joined her and leaned against the red fence at the edge of the pagoda. "I'll stay here with Nagisa. I've lost everything except my name and my place at AKB, so I still need time to think."

"I understand." Tsubasa met Chieri's gaze. "As Center Nova, you will be treated as a Successor. And as the one chosen by Sensei-Sensei, you have the responsibility to shine more brightly than anyone else. We'll support you with our full power, but in the end, you will have to realise your own potential."

"Don't worry, Miss Tsubasa," Chieri said. "I'll be fine."

"I believe you. But I've witnessed first-hand how great a burden position zero is," Tsubasa said. "I wanted to spare you that hardship for a few more years, but it wasn't to be."

"Sorry. I've always been impatient," Chieri said. She nodded to her manager then retreated to Nagisa's side and knelt down to wait.

Yuko brought back the blankets she'd promised and fussed over Nagisa. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." Nagisa looked up at Yuko and smiled. "But I'll be okay, so you can go upstairs if you like."

Yuko squeezed her shoulder. "Okay. Just hang in there."

Nagisa nodded.

Yuko turned to Chieri. "I'll leave her to you, okay?"

Chieri nodded. She blinked as Yuko extended her hand and took it after a moment's hesitation.

Yuko shook her hand with a firm grip. "Competing with you was fun. I always knew I had to take you seriously, but I never thought I'd actually lose to you."

Chieri stared into Yuko's eyes. "I'll take that as a compliment, I guess. You set an example for me and you took an interest in me when I was no-one. It was... yes, it was fun for me as well. I owe you a lot."

"Thank you. Now you've made it this far, I guess we can put that rivalry to bed now." Yuko stood up and turned her head away. She waved her hand. "I'll see you both later."

Chieri watched Yuko as she walked away. "Is she angry with me?"

"I don't think so," Nagisa said. She closed her eyes and took a breath. She was in no state to think right now. She pulled the blankets up to her neck and lay back silently as seconds turned into minutes. Her fever had intensified since their audience with Sensei-Sensei. Sweat ran into her eyes and twisted the warm light of the cave into a dizzying kaleidoscope. The only certain thing in her hazy world was Chieri's cold hand pressed against her palm. "You don't have to stay. You have so much to do." Nagisa's lips barely moved as she whispered that half-formed thought.

Chieri squeezed her hand. "I'm staying right here."

"Thank you." Those words made her feel happy and guilty; she was too tired to entangle the knot of emotions stuck in her chest.

Chieri pulled a white handkerchief from the sleeve of her robe and wiped the sweat from Nagisa's creased brow. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes." Nagisa dipped her chin.

"I'll be with you until the pain ends. Stay strong."

The ceiling above Nagisa dissolved into a sea of stars. She could remember everything. Bright eyes in the darkness and the weight of God's voice. The searing fires of battle snuffed out by an overflowing love. Ten thousand men lashing out in agony and her fear as she faced them with a single prayer. And so on and on, a thousand moments that had taught her how to laugh and cry and wince and smile. With nothing else to do, she remembered all of them. Through it all, Chieri shone with the brilliance of a star. Her beloved friend, so strong and brave, even in the face of agony. She was nothing in comparison. She just loved that radiance and chased it like a child bumbling after a firefly in the darkness. She'd come a long way from the world she knew. Everything around her was strange and frightening. "Am I really good enough?" she asked.

Chieri blinked at the sudden question. "You're my rival. This is nothing to you."

Nagisa giggled. Those words came so quickly and carried the weight of so much pride that she adored them. She'd always taken the smallest things to heart if they came from Chieri. She wasn't brave, but that had given her strength, and so many memories. Chieri was an exquisite rose; beautiful at a distance and a menace to anyone who came near. Nagisa had somehow endured that pain and earned a place at Chieri's side. She wanted to believe she was the only one. Her blood had turned to poison and her whole body raged against it, but that pain was just another challenge for her to overcome.

A fairy warmth filled her body. She was floating through a gentle stream beneath a night sky set with diamonds. A beautiful woman kissed her gently on the forehead and smiled down at her. "Don't worry. I'm a fan of lovestruck girls."

Nagisa blinked and tilted her head. "I'm not really..."

The 13th Atsuko Maeda put a finger on Nagisa's lips. "You don't need to say a word. I am you, after all."

Nagisa nodded and closed her eyes. All her fear and pain fell away. She could sleep in peace.

* * *

Chieri kissed Nagisa on the forehead. She blushed as she sat back and looked down at Nagisa's face. Her friend was smiling as she slept. She was so beautiful and so at peace that Chieri couldn't look away.

"It looks like she'll muddle through," Tsubasa said. She watched Chieri from a distance and raised an eyebrow as the teenager belatedly glanced at her.

"Yes. She'll be fine," Chieri said. She let go of Nagisa's hand and fled towards the edge of the pagoda. The underground lake as a mirror before her. The beauty of the clear water took the edge off her embarrassment. She hated this. When she was worried about Nagisa, she couldn't focus on anything else.

Chieri walked down the steps of the pagoda and knelt to drink from the lake. The water was icy-cold and she swallowed it quickly, but it refreshed her. Normally, everything she ate and drank was provided for her. Everything she did was in accordance with her schedule. But right now, she could be a child again. Chieri kicked off her sandals and pulled up the bottom of her white robe, then stepped out into the lake. Her legs burned from the cold but she bit her lip and endured the pain. It was different, after all. That summer, Nagisa had taught her to cut away the inhibitions holding her back and play in the warm river beneath a bright sun. But it hadn't been anything so complicated at the time. Now Chieri could connect that memory to all the other times Nagisa had corrected her and give it a new meaning. The water was cold; she was recalling a state of mind, not playing with her friends. They had both changed.

Time was unforgiving. It unfolded, moment after moment, and took the people she cared about from her. From the moment she'd joined 00, she'd run frantically on to forget where she'd come from and to prove she belonged. Now she'd reached the stage of her dreams, she could waver again, if only for a moment. She'd lost her father. She was the only Sono left. Her past was a bundle of regrets she carried with her and her memories of that one peaceful summer on Lancastar. And the future was uncertain, as well. Good wasn't good enough; she had to be the best, right from the start. She trusted herself but that was still frightening. That was why she needed Nagisa to be with her. Ever since they joined 00, they'd muddled through together. From now on, as well, she wanted Nagisa to succeed for her own selfish reasons. She wanted Nagisa to watch her and only her, so she could shine more brightly than before. Every idol needed an audience.

Chieri let go of her robes and splashed cold water over her burning cheeks. Drops of water ran down her cheeks and fell onto the collar of her white robe. She was a weak creature, but she could only move forwards. If she ran for long enough, she'd make sense of it all. Her past and her future. So she took a deep breath, looked up, and began to sing. "I can hear a voice with no master coming from somewhere in the sky. I'm sure it's calling for someone..." She sang softly at first, then louder. The crystal cave swallowed her lonely words and threw back strange echoes, but the kirara gathered one by one and shone down on her. Her jade kirara circled her head and puffed itself up as it blazed brightly, a sun surrounded by stars.

Tsubasa leaned on the red fence of the pagoda and watched Chieri sing. Nagisa was sleeping soundly behind her. After years of hardship, the seeds Acchan planted in stony ground had finally sprouted and bloomed.

* * *

Yuko returned alone. The bamboo forest and the crimson gates held no fear for her any more, but they were irritatingly silent. She tried to sing but her powerful voice was swallowed whole by the darkness of the forest. Her kirara drifted back to her and hid in the collar of her blouse as she trudged on in silence.

The crowd outside the ruined concert hall had swelled to three times its original size since they'd entered. She raised a hand to acknowledge them as they shouted her name and bombarded her with questions. "Listen, I'm not the manager. I can't say much," Yuko said. Her voice easily carried over the crowd and pushed them into an attentive silence. "But we'll have big news for you all soon, so look forwards to it. Fans of 'Nagisa no Cherry' will be especially happy!" She smiled as the fans surged forwards and asked her twice as many questions as before. It was always best to keep them guessing. She broke free of the crowd and picked up her flier where she left it. It recognised her finger-prints and powered up. "I'm heading back, okay? I'll see you all soon!"

Loud music echoed through the corridors of the Flying Get. "If in doubt, practice" had always been Takamina's creed. Yuko pulled out her phone and messaged her friend. _"Nagi AM. Chie CN w. no name." _With that job done, she retreated to her room and threw herself onto her bed. The light bolted to the ceiling was bright and cold. Yuko fumbled with her headphones as she stared up at it with unblinking eyes.

Takamina knocked and entered without waiting for permission. She waved. "I'm surprised you didn't join us for practice."

Yuko pulled off her headphones and put her hands behind her head. "I just returned from another world, you know. Cut me some slack here."

Takamina sat on the end of Yuko's bed. "You have a point." She looked straight at Yuko. "Are you frustrated? I know you've been aiming for the Centre Nova position for a long time."

"Well, I do hate losing." Yuko rolled over in bed and faced the wall. "It's not a bolt from the blue. I always knew she was good, but yeah."

It was tough. She'd been aiming for Acchan's position for far longer than Chieri had even been an understudy. She'd reached out to those two because she could see their potential, but in her heart she'd always believed she'd beat them. She'd become Centre Nova, lead the way, and pass the torch to them when she graduated. But that was impossible now. Even though she'd opened the gate first, she'd failed to control that radiance and nearly destroyed herself in the process. Chieri wielded that light as if it had always belonged to her and become the hero of Akibastar. It was a hell of a contrast, she knew. In the end, there could only be one queen, and Sensei-Sensei had spoken. She accepted that, but her chest was still choked with jagged gravel. She'd been so close. It was frustrating and worse, embarrassing. And a small part of her hated herself for encouraging Chieri. That weighted on her, however much she played the good loser.

Takamina nodded. "Well, you can't change the past. But I know what you're like. You still haven't given up, even after a setback like this."

Yuko rested her palm on her forehead. "Pretty much, yeah. It's just hard to feel enthusiastic." If Chieri graduated, she'd have another chance. But that would mean another parting.

"Let's get some lunch," Takamina said.

"Okay." Yuko rolled over and sat up. Moping didn't suit her, after all.

The other successors were already eating around the largest table in the canteen. Yuko and Takamina grabbed bowls of stew from Chef Papa and moved to join their friends. Food was short on Akibastar right now, so the Flying Get had already distributed most of its supplies. At first, Yuko tried to stay aloof from the conversation around the table, but she couldn't resist the urge to talk about her experiences. The others listened attentively as she described the other world, her audience with Acchan, and the visit to the temple. "So, yeah, Chieri's just bowing to this thing, and then Tsubasa freaks out and asks it whose name Chieri is inheriting. It started shouting 'no name' over and over again until Chieri calmed it down. Then we left and that was that. I have no idea how a Centre Nova who isn't a Successor is going to work, but it's not like Tsubasa can argue with Sensei-Sensei."

"So what _is _Sensei-Sensei?" Yukirin asked.

"Don't ask me. The collective unconsciousness or something, whatever Acchan said," Yuko said. "I'm pretty sure she's in there, actually."

"Sensei-Sensei is a form of god," Tomochin said. "Normally, he doesn't speak to members, so he must really favour Chieri."

Sayaka leaned back in her seat and put her hands behind her head. "Isn't Chieri just cheeky? Any of us could have gone to see him if we felt like it."

"But none of us did," Kojiharu said.

"If Yuko's right, she could talk to the kirara," Tomochin said. "She's been given a gift, just like Acchan."

"She's a girl being pushed by management. That's all that matters to us," Sayaka said.

Mayuyu stared at her empty bowl and spoke up before Tomochin could reply. "Is there no more food?"

"Not until the shipment comes," Takamina said.

Yukirin pushed her half-eaten bowl towards Mayuyu. "You can finish mine."

"Thank you." Mayuyu ate it swiftly.

Yuko looked around the group and grinned. "Still, we'll have it tough from now on. We're all gonna get upstaged by her if we're not careful."

Sayaka met Yuko's gaze and grinned . "Maybe for you, but we'll be fine. This isn't the first time."

Takamina laughed. "I was just thinking that myself, actually."

"Really?" Yuko said. "When did that happen?"

"When you arrived," Sayaka said. "You blew in out of nowhere and shot up the ranks. Before we knew it, Acchan had vanished and you were joint-centre with Takamina."

"Exactly. Even you spent most of your time running around pestering Acchan, the fans loved you," Kojiharu said. She leaned her chin on her hand and pressed her lips against a curled finger. "I was also a fan, come to that. It was cute."

"I guess that did happen," Yuko said. She leaned back in her chair. "It didn't feel that way at the time."

Mayuyu put down her spoon and eyed Yuko's bowl of stew. "Are you finished?"

"Nope. No touching," Yuko said. She slumped forwards and began to wolf down her stew.

She'd always been a genius, after all. She'd somehow forgotten that fact.

After lunch, she joined the others for practice. Just like always, she set the pace and the others kept up with her. After a long afternoon, they scattered again to rest and refresh themselves. Yuko washed off her sweat in the shower then threw on casual clothes and settled down in the hangar to wait. The LAS units towered over her like statutes, all sharp angles and silvery metal that implied an immense power at rest. She listened to music but time still bore down on her and forced her to think. Acchan wanted her to defend entertainment in this world, but she wanted to join Acchan. And she'd always followed her own dream.

Late in the evening, Chieri and Atsuko flew up into the hangar on their silver fliers. Tsubasa stood behind Chieri and rested her hand on the girl's shoulder to steady herself. Yuko stood and walked forwards as they landed. "Yo. Feeling better, Atsuko?"

Nagisa nodded. "Yes, thank you." Her face was clear and pale again.

Tsubasa glanced back at the two younger girls. "Eat, then come to my room. We need to plan your succession concert." She nodded briefly to Yuko then left the hangar as Nagisa and Chieri acknowledged her order.

"That'll be fun. We'll have to put on a hell of a show," Yuko said. She put a hand on her hip and smiled at them. "You two have been given Acchan's name and her title. Everyone will have huge expectations."

Nagisa cocked her head and giggled. "I was afraid of that. I'm not confident, but I'll do my best."

Chieri nodded. "We still have so much to learn. Please teach us everything you can."

"Yeah, I'll do just that," Yuko said. "But don't forget we're rivals. I won't go easy on you two."

Chieri blinked and smiled. "Yes, of course."

Nagisa nodded. "I'm aiming for the top, as well."

"Yeah," Yuko said. "We'll be pretty busy from now on."

She'd provoke them and encourage them. She'd teach them. She'd protect them. She'd learn from them. She hadn't made it on her own, so this was her best chance to realise her dream.

* * *

The next morning, 00 gathered on the stage of the Flying Get. On the left, Megumi stood at the front of the 76th Generation. Her curly brown hair was tied back neatly with orange ribbons. On the right, Kanata stood to attention in the middle of the 77th Generation girls. Chieri stood in the centre with the Successors behind her. Nagisa watched her from the second row of the Successors and put her hand over her mouth as Chieri yawned. If she laughed, she'd only make things worse. Mayuyu and Yukirin were in front of her, but they'd both moved slightly to either side to ensure the audience would be able to see her. There was nowhere to hide.

Mikako glanced out from behind an old, blocky video camera. "Okay, I'm good to go."

Tsubasa coughed. "Then if everyone is _quite ready, _we'll begin. Three, two, one, start!"

The girls relaxed and smiled as they watched the camera with renewed concentration. Takamina stepped forwards and drew level with Chieri. "People of the galaxy, good morning. Thanks to DES, we've been a little busy recently, but as you can see, we're all alive and well."

"We're better than ever. Today, we have two huge announcements for you all," Yuko said. "The name Maeda Atsuko and the title of Centre Nova have both slept for years since the 13th Acchan graduated. Today, we'd like to introduce you all to the new Acchan, Nagisa Motomiya!"

Nagisa smiled and stumbled as Mayuyu grabbed her wrist and pulled her forwards. "Um, I'm the 77th Generation understudy, Nagisa Motomiya. I'm honoured to be receiving Acchan's name. I'm still inexperienced, but I'll do my best to, um, live up to that name." She glanced sidelong at Chieri. Her friend nodded to her. Nagisa nodded back and faced the camera with a smile. "I will continue to shine!"

Takamina clapped along with the others. "Since Acchan's graduation, we've rotated centres, but the time has come for our fixed star to return. The same day we'll welcome the new Acchan, Chieri Sono will become the first among the Successors, the Centre Nova!"

"Thank you. I'm the 77th Generation understudy, Chieri Sono," Chieri said. "In difficult circumstances, 00 has given me a place to belong. I have much to learn, but my dream hasn't changed. This is still just the beginning. I won't rest until I've become the sun that shines on the whole galaxy, just as the 13th Acchan did." She folded her hands together and bowed her head. "Please continue to watch over me until that day comes."

Nagisa watched Chieri from the side and shook out her left hand. Mayuyu had a ferocious grip.

Takamina clapped along with the other members, then spoke again. "00 is still moving forwards. We haven't changed. Now and forever, we're the idols that come to see you!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

It seems unlikely AKB0048 will ever see the third season I thought it deserved, so I decided to write something instead.

In terms of translation conventions, I'm using western name order and I'm not using honourifics. Song titles will not be translated, however.

I owe a special debt to stage48's resources on AKB48, the AKB0048 wiki, and the knowledge and patience of my friend Neve.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: The Weight of Expectations**

Nagisa leaned forwards in the cockpit of her LAS and gripped the joysticks tightly as she flew above the capital. Artifical light illuminated vast towers of silver scaffolding. Construction drones darted from place to place with materials in tow. Lights flashed on Nagisa's display, indicating her objective. Her robot's thrusters tilted and blazed as she shot downwards and landed on a vast circular platform. Sparks danced around her robot's feet as it slid to a halt. Nagisa sighed and shut off the drive, then hammered the cockpit release. "Good afternoon. I'm Atsuko Maeda!"

"Good afternoon, Acchan," the chief engineer said. "Be careful. If you crash into the relay, we'll be starting over from scratch."

"That's unfair," Nagisa said. She pouted down at him as she clambered over her LAS and retrieved a stack of lunch boxes from storage. "I may be bad, but I'm not that bad." The workers downed tools and gathered round as she leapt down from the robot and handed out the lunches with a smile. "Are things going well?"

"We're getting there," the engineer said. "I'm hoping we'll have it fixed by this evening. How about you? Everyone's looking forwards to your succession concert."

"Miss Tsubasa said she'll fix a date when we have full communications again," Nagisa said. "That way I can tell my parents as well."

"Of course. Well, you can count on us for that," he said. "We'll get it done."

"Thank you," Nagisa said.

One of the older workers approached with a football in hand. "Sorry, but could you sign this, Acchan? My boy's been begging me."

"Of course. I'd be happy to." Nagisa pulled a pen from her pocket and took the football. "What is your son's name?"

"Naoki," one of the other workers said. The others laughed. "He's keeping it for himself, Acchan."

"Keita," Naoki said.

"Okay. And be nice to each other, everyone." Nagisa scrawled a dedication on the ball and handed it back with a smile. "I need to head to the next place, but I'm cheering for you. Good luck!"

The workers waved as she took off.

Nagisa spent another hour and a half criss-crossing the sky and delivering lunches to the workers and engineers. After that, she worked alongside the drones, shuttling materials and goods from the space-port to the improvised deports that had been established throughout the city. Finally, she stopped work in the middle of the afternoon and set course for a small hall on the outskirts of the city. Children poured out of the building alongside their parents. They whooped and cheered as Nagisa landed well clear of them and stood up in the cockpit. "Good afternoon, everyone." She looked around.

"Cherry's inside!" one of the kids shouted. He began to clamber over Nagisa's LAS. Several other children followed him, laughing as they tried in vain to scale the smooth silver legs.

"Don't do that. It's dangerous," Nagisa said. She locked the cockpit and jumped down. "Be careful, okay?" She walked past them and stepped into the hall. Borrowed tables and chairs were scattered across the room. She waved at Chieri. "Heya."

"Hello," Chieri said. She glanced at the teacher standing next to her.

Nagisa nodded at Mrs Nakano. "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Acchan," Mrs Nanako said. She was waiting alongside several children whose parents had yet to arrive. She checked her watch. "Chieri, you can go home now. I'll look after them."

"I want Cherry," a young boy said. He clutched the back of her stockings. "Don't go."

Chieri knelt to face him. "I can't really stay-" She was cut off when he hugged her tightly.

"Kei, Chieri has practice now," Mrs Nanako said. "Don't be selfish." She eventually managed to pry him away from Chieri.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Chieri said. "Be good, everyone."

Nagisa smiled as the waiting children said their goodbyes. They walked slowly outside and waited for the other children to lose interest in the robot. "They really like you, don't they?"

"Maybe. But I'm no good with children," Chieri said.

"That's not true," Nagisa said.

"They're cute, but I spoil them. Mrs Nanako is always scolding me," Chieri said. "Hoshi and Arata keep playing up and I don't know what to do about it."

Nagisa laughed. "Really? You've always been so hard on us."

"Maybe when I was starting out," Chieri said. "I've mellowed recently, haven't I? I'm trying to be nicer to everyone."

"You are nicer. But we've got better at everything, so maybe you just ran out of reasons to be angry with us," Nagisa said.

Chieri laughed. "Maybe that's it. But I can't get mad with children."

They scrambled abroad Nagisa's LAS and squeezed into the cockpit. Chieri pressed herself against the visual display as they flew towards the Flying Get and watched the city flash past below them.

Nagisa glanced sidelong at her and smiled. "Tired?"

"A little," Chieri said. "Teachers are amazing. I couldn't do this alone."

"I'm tired too. Work is hard," Nagisa said. She adjusted the joysticks slightly. "And I can never get used to flying these things."

"Don't say that when we're in mid-air," Chieri said. "I can take over if you like."

"I'll be fine. I just don't like using them in concerts," Nagisa said.

"Well, you don't need them any more," Chieri said.

"I guess," Nagisa said. She swerved to avoid the path of a drone and flew on. After a short flight, the Flying Get loomed in front of them as it floated above the ruins of their old concert hall. She locked in a course for the ship's hangar and leaned back in her chair as the autopilot took over.

They met with the Successors in the Flying Get's practice hall. The girls chatted as they stretched and warmed up. The relaxed atmosphere was punctured when Ushiyama strode forwards and clapped just once. "Let's begin with 'Yume wa nando mo umarekawaru'. Chieri is the centre. Yuko is centre-left. Atsuko, you will be centre-right."

Nagisa blinked in surprise. "Okay." She glanced at Takamina, but the older girl was already busy making sure they were all in position.

They practised for hours under Ushiyama's unrelenting gaze. He stopped the music several times to criticise the girls at length. In particular, he focused on Chieri and Nagisa, commenting whenever they put a foot out of place and even when they executed the steps correctly. Finally, he stopped the music again and folded his arms in exasperation. "Not enough. You're not nearly good enough," he said to Chieri.

"She seems fine to me," Yuko said.

"Fine isn't enough. Talent and charisma aren't enough," Ushiyama said. "She has to be perfect."

"What should I do?" Chieri said.

"If I knew that, you girls would have things a lot easier," Ushiyama said. "But I taught the Thirteenth Acchan. The Center Nova has to be more than this."

"I know. I still have a long way to go," Chieri said. "But don't worry. I will work out."

Ushiyama sighed. "I hope so. We're starting over, everyone."

Nagisa caught her breath for a moment more then straightened her back.

They practised for another hour before winding down. Tsubasa dropped in towards the end and observed silently from the back of the room. She spoke up briefly when their practice finally finished. "Good work, everyone. Takamina, Yuko, please see me after you've finished your stretches."

"Sure thing, boss," Yuko said.

Chieri and Nagisa sat down with Mariko and drank water while the other successors trooped out. They barely had time to catch their breath before the understudies arrived to rehearse the upcoming concert. Chieri helped Nagisa up and they began again. This time, Ushiyama turned his attention to a struggling Yuka as she stumbled through the songs and made a trail of simple mistakes. Nagisa watched her worriedly. Normally, she was one of the most consistent performers in the understudies.

Yuka tripped half-way through 'Kibou ni tsuite' and fell to her knees. She panted for breath and turned her head away as she waited for another scolding.

Ushiyama sighed and turned off the music. "Enough. That will do for tonight."

Chieri bit her lip.

"Clear your head, Yuka," Ushiyama said. "I don't know what you're so anxious about, but at this rate, you won't be performing in the concert." He strode out without another word.

The understudies ran to Yuka's side. Nagisa knelt and held her hand. "Are you okay?"

"Of course not," Yuka said. She choked back tears and stood up. "You don't need to worry about me. I won't hold you back either way."

Nagisa flinched. "I'm still worried about you."

"Let's all take a rest," Kanata said. "We've been working hard recently."

Yuka ran her hands through her hair and looked around. She caught Chieri's gaze. "Don't look at me like that."

"I want to help you," Chieri said.

"Thanks but no thanks," Yuka said. She pushed past Nagisa and ran for the door.

Nagisa ran after her. She stopped abruptly when Chieri caught her wrist. "She needs our help!" she said, rounding on the blue-haired girl.

"She wants to be alone," Chieri said. She let go of Nagisa's wrist and looked around at the others. "I know you all want to run after her. I'm the same. But that would only be painful for her right now."

"You may be right," Kanata said. She looked at the door and frowned. "But we can't just leave her alone, either. Does anyone know what's gotten into her?"

"I don't know. She just hasn't been herself lately," Orine said. She sighed. "I have an idea, but it's hard to talk about it."

"I don't like it," Sonata said. She hugged Kanata from behind. "It's not as fun when people are sad."

"She hasn't told me anything, either," Nagisa said. She breathed out and met Chieri's gaze. "I'm going to go after her, after all."

Chieri sighed. "Okay."

Nagisa ran through the ship as she searched for Yuka. Her room was empty. She wasn't in the mess hall, the showers, or the hangar. She wasn't backstage or on-stage either. After running back and forth across the ship, she found Yuka at one of the starboard viewing ports. She slowed to a walk as she approached and tried to catch her breath. "Good evening."

"Leave me alone," Yuka said. "I told you, you don't need to worry about me."

"Sorry. I know I'm bothering you," Nagisa said.

Yuka faced Nagisa with red eyes. Her kirara drooped as it settled on her blonde hair. "You really don't have time for this, you know."

"It's fine," Nagisa said. "We're friends, after all."

"It doesn't matter. It's all stupid." Yuka leaned against the wall of the ship. "I don't know why this is happening."

"You're thinking about Mamoru, aren't you?" Nagisa said.

"That's part of it," Yuka said. She looked away in silence for a few moments. When she spoke again, the words spilled out in a rush. "He's still here, you know. I can't see him and I can't get him out of my head."

Nagisa nodded. "Why haven't you gone to see him?"

"How could I see him? You wouldn't understand," Yuka said. "I don't know what to say to him. I don't even know what I'd do if I saw him and that scares me."

"You're right, I guess," Nagisa said. "I've never been in love."

Yuka blushed and tilted her head away. "Don't put it that way. You're being too dramatic."

Nagisa shrugged. "I don't really know how to talk about it."

"You're a better idol than me but I know more about this," Yuka said. She squeezed her hands together and looked down at the floor. "It's stupid. I made my mind up when I left Lancastar. Nothing's gonna come of having second thoughts now."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Nagisa said.

"Easy for you to say. Personally, I'm jealous of you and Chieri," Yuka said. "It must be nice not to have anything to hesitate about."

"That's wrong. Chieri has plenty of things to be anxious about," Nagisa said. "And I'm worse."

"If you say so," Yuka said. "Still, maybe I'm just not cut out for this."

"Don't be silly. You've come this far," Nagisa said. "You were amazing in our last concert."

"Now you're just flattering me," Yuka said.

"It's true," Nagisa said. "We were all singing together. That's why we could win."

"If I could sing well right now, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Yuka said. She closed her eyes. "But I'm scared. Nothing lasts forever, so if I'm not talented enough, I'd rather walk away now, but I'd regret it either way."

"You're talented," Nagisa said. "You've already performed like a successor. And I'm sure Mamoru loves you, as well." She smiled when Yuka glared at her. "You should see him, at least."

"What's the point? We sing love songs all the time, but being in love is forbidden," Yuka said. "It makes no sense."

"It's not that love is forbidden," Nagisa said. "We just can't afford to be distracted."

"Being torn between the two is far more distracting," Yuka said. "And who decided this anyway? Tsubasa? Or someone who lived hundreds of years ago? It's ridiculous."

"Sensei-Sensei, I think," Nagisa said. "I'm just guessing, though."

Yuka snorted. "Does he even exist?"

"I've seen him," Nagisa said.

"So who or what is he? Why does he get to decide this stuff, anyway?" Yuka asked. She sighed when Nagisa didn't reply. "Well, whatever. This is the way things are, and I don't have the power to change them. If it was you two, it might be different."

"We're still just the youngest Successors," Nagisa said. "I do want to help you, but I don't know if we'd be able to do anything. If it's Sensei-Sensei-"

"Forget it. It's not like I want Chieri to know about this anyway," Yuka said. She slapped her cheeks with her hands. "I'm going to go back to our room. You have to go, right? Chieri will be waiting for you."

"Maybe," Nagisa admitted. "I'll talk to you later." She watched Yuka walk away then turned and ran towards the stage at the front of the Flying Get. She waved at Chieri as she ran on stage.

"Good evening," Chieri said.

The Successors were talking in small groups. They all greeted Nagisa.

Yuko grinned. "We've been waiting. The princess wouldn't let us start without you."

"How is Yuka?" Takamina asked. "I can talk to her if she needs encouragement."

"I think she's cheered up a little," Nagisa said. "I hope so, anyway."

"Okay. I'll let it be for now." Takamina clapped her hands. "Let's begin."

It was the world's worst kept secret. Originally, Takamina and Yuko had offered Chieri private lessons to help her prepare for her new role. Chieri had mentioned it to Nagisa and Nagisa decided to come along. Then she told Mariko and before she knew it, all the Successors were attending. They all wanted to improve. No one was satisfied with how they were. Nagisa smiled as she danced and practised gestures she'd performed a thousand times before. When she was young, she'd only seen their beauty and grace and thought of it as a miracle. But that beauty was supported by unrelenting effort and fierce aspiration.

Chieri approached Takamina in a break. "How should I improve?"

"It's hard to say," Takamina said. "In a technical sense, you're already as good as any of us. What do you think, Yuko?"

"She's already too good, considering her age," Yuko said.

"Ushiyama wasn't satisfied, and neither am I," Chieri said.

"How stiff." Yuko wrapped her hands around Chieri's back and moved her head close to Chieri's face. "Don't over-think things. You're someone who can do anything if only you get out of your own way."

"I think I'm doing my best right now," Chieri said. She met Yuko's gaze face-to-face without accepting or rejecting her embrace.

Nagisa frowned and pressed her hands against her chest. Chieri should just shake Yuko off, but she always went along with it like this.

"You work hard enough, yeah. So just trust yourself and you'll be fine," Yuko said. She circled Chieri and hugged the younger girl from behind. "By the way, Tsubasa wants to see you and Nagisa after this."

Kojiharu laughed. "Is this the time to mention that?"

"I see. Thank you," Chieri said.

Nagisa blinked as Yuko glanced at her over Chieri's head. She blushed despite herself. "I'll be there, of course. Thanks for letting us know."

"I see." Yuko rested her chin on Chieri's shoulder for a moment before letting go of the younger girl and stepping back.

"Are you quite finished?" Takamina asked.

Yuko smiled. "Are you angry?"

"Not really. Let's start again," Takamina said.

Chieri glanced at Nagisa for a moment before turning away and taking her position at the front of their formation.

Nagisa sighed and settled into her place behind her friend. Chieri and Yuko were like chalk and cheese, but they somehow got on well. Chieri was usually so distant with everyone but she let Yuko hang off her all the time. Since her actions always spoke louder than her words, that was a big deal. In the end, they were charismatic, confident, photogenic, all the things Nagisa wasn't. So even though they seemed so different, they probably had more in common with each other than either had with her.

Yuko slapped her hard on the back. "Nagisa, don't fall asleep."

Nagisa smiled and rubbed her back. Yuko was pretty strong and didn't know how to hold back. But the shock did her good. She didn't have time to sulk. "Sorry. I'll be careful."

Darkness had fallen by the time they finished practising. Nagisa yawned as she followed Chieri towards Tsubasa's room. She was tired to the bone.

Tsubasa's quarters had been awkwardly transformed into a makeshift office space. She sat on a swivel chair and faced away from her desk as she went over the concert's set list on her tablet. Nagisa and Chieri perched on folding chairs that been crammed into the space between the bed and the wall. The desk itself was overflowing with paper and even as they talked, the printer placed on the desk spat out yet more paper lined with small black print. In that sense, the space was very like Tsubasa. She was difficult and a little old fashioned despite her young age. It was also a striking reminder of just how many threads she knotted together every day to lift 00 up.

"We can finalise at the last moment, if need be. I'll decide based on Ushiyama and Takamina's reports," Tsubasa said.

"Understood. We'll do everything we can," Chieri said.

Nagisa nodded. Learning songs at short notice wasn't easy, but she didn't want to let Chieri down. She'd just have to work that much harder than usual.

"Good." Tsubasa closed the draft list and scrolled down on her tablet. "And one more thing. Now that your Succession is a settled matter, you're entitled to join an agency. Para-pro and WOTA-pro have reopened, so I've arranged meetings for you both tomorrow."

Chieri frowned. "I'm not really interested."

Nagisa glanced at her. "What's an agency, again?"

"They represent entertainers and promote their careers. It goes without saying that your duties to 00 still come first, but they can raise your profile in the Entertainment Protection Sphere," Tsubasa said.

"I thought you were in charge of that," Nagisa said.

"I manage the whole group. But I don't have the time to represent each individual member fully, so I coordinate with the agencies and manage their proposals," Tsubasa said. "It's mutually beneficial."

"I'm only interested in 00," Chieri said. "Sensei-Sensei has entrusted me with the position of Centre Nova, so I'm not in a position to take on additional work."

Nagisa nodded. "Me too. I still have a lot to learn in 00."

"Balancing your duties to the group with your solo work is part of the responsibility of a Successor," Tsubasa said. "And you in particular have already been doing plenty of solo work, Chieri."

"That's all been under 00's name," Chieri said. "At that time, I was happy to raise my profile by any means necessary. But right now, I want to focus on becoming a Centre Nova everyone can accept."

Tsubasa lowered her tablet and glanced at Chieri. "Since you've been pushed to this extent, you will always have haters. And solo work is also part of the Centre Nova's duty."

Chieri folded her hands and nodded. "Well, I'll attend the meetings and see what they have to say."

That was Chieri's no. Nagisa found it strange, but it at least gave her cover for her own less vocal discomfort. She'd just wanted to perform as part of AKB0048. She didn't want to go beyond that.

Tsubasa sighed. She was also used to Chieri's no. "Good. By the way, the meetings are fixed at six and seven in the evening, but we've cancelled all practice to give everyone a break. Do as you will with the rest of the day."

Chieri shot up from her seat. "Why? It's not long before our succession concert. I don't want to waste time."

"It's necessary, for you and for the rest of 00. This will be your last break before that concert, so don't waste this time," Tsubasa said. She leaned back in her swivel chair and opened several files. "That's everything for now. Be courteous tomorrow."

Chieri opened her mouth to say something more, then stopped short and sighed. "Of course. Good night." She turned and walked away without waiting for a reply.

Nagisa stood. "Um, good night." She craned her neck to glance at Chieri's retreating back.

"Good night," Tsubasa said.

Nagisa ran to catch up with Chieri. "A break's a good thing, you know. It's been ages since we last got to play around on Akibastar."

Chieri flounced towards the canteen. "I'm not satisfied with my performances right now. I can't afford to relax."

"You're doing fine, I think," Nagisa said.

"That's not enough," Chieri said.

Nagisa sighed. This wasn't like Chieri, either. Normally her friend was more… well, she was always uptight, but not to this extent. She held herself to high standards but she could still relax when the time came, since she had that much self-belief. This was beyond 'high standards', though. Nagisa knew her friend was anxious and that just made her more worried herself. If Chieri wasn't ready, what chance did she have?

Nagisa and Chieri walked back to their room together. When they stepped inside, Sonata, Makoto and Kanata were crowding Suzuko's bunk and staring at her computer screen. "Anything interesting?" Chieri asked.

Nagisa glanced at Yuka's bed. She was lying back and reading something from her phone.

"DES has finally made a statement on the death of Zodiac's CEO," Suzuko said. "They were quiet about for a long time, so I wondered if they'd actually investigate seriously, but I was mistaken."

"What did they say?" Chieri said.

"It's just DES propoganda," Kanata said. She shrugged as Chieri walked towards them. "They're saying you're the one who killed him."

"I see. I thought they'd end up doing something like that." Chieri made for the steel table on the far side of the room and rooted through the authorised letters that had been left there. She sorted the ones addressed to her into a huge pile and dumped them on top of her bunk.

"Aren't you angry?" Kanata said. "Those monsters murdered him, and now they're framing you!"

Chieri clambered into her top bunk and pulled the first letter from the pile. "I'm angry but I can't do anything about it. I'd rather just focus on my work."

Nagisa took her own slender stack of letters and sat on her mattress beneath Chieri's bed. "Any fan of 00 knows Chieri's good person. We can show everyone that with our songs."

"I guess that's right." Kanata retreated back to her own bed and looked up at Chieri. "But I can't believe they'd go so far. Wasn't your father, you know..." She trailed off.

"He was one of their supporters," Chieri said.

"It's strange," Suzuko said. "Regardless of the target, DES doesn't assassinate really prominent people. They don't normally talk directly about us members, either. It's more convenient for them to speak of us as a terrorist group, but their channels have been full of propaganda about Chieri."

"Doesn't that mean they're scared of her?" Kanata said. "She blew them away the other day, after all."

"Perhaps," Suzuko said. "Or maybe they're changing tactics."

"Never mind what DES are doing," Nagisa said. She looked up at the mattress above her. Chieri wouldn't complain, of course. But this kind of conversation wouldn't make anyone happy.

As the others turned their attention to other things, Nagisa began to read her fan letters. She was receiving far more than she'd used to, especially from people on Akibastar. For one reason or another, her improvised speech during the battle concert had became incredibly famous. Under the circumstances, she couldn't reply by hand, but she could at least write messages for all the people who had written to her. Nagisa stayed up late, replying to as many as she could, until her sight blurred and her eyes ached with tiredness. When she finally undressed and fell into bed, she could barely hear Chieri above her, still writing messages.

The next day, the dormitory buzzed with energy. Tsubasa had messaged them all, instructing them that all practice was cancelled. Kanata sat with Suzuko, trying to work out a schedule for the day. Sonata bounced impatiently around them. Nagisa clambered up the ladder to Chieri's bunk and looked down at the blue-haired girl. "You'll come too, right?"

"I'll catch up to you all," Chieri said. She was typing another message to a fan. "I just need to reply to these."

"That sounds dangerously like work to me," Nagisa said. She perched on the edge of Chieri's bunk.

"I've visited the usual sites. There are plenty of people who don't like the fact that I've become the Centre Nova," Chieri said. "So I want to do everything I can to prove myself."

Nagisa smiled. "Lots of people say I'm not suited to be Atsuko Maeda, as well. But aren't you just preaching to the choir right now?"

"I know that. But this is still the right thing to do," Chieri said.

"I know how you feel, but you still need a break." Nagisa swung her legs off the bed and spoke out loud as she typed. "Good morning, everyone. Cherry has been working too hard preparing for our succession concert, so I'm going out with her to have fun. If anyone sees her on the network, tell her to put her phone away! I want her all to myself today! With love, Atsuko."

Chieri set up abruptly and lunged towards Nagisa. "Don't send that!"

"Too late, I already did," Nagisa said, holding her phone out of reach.

Chieri sighed. "I still don't think I need a break, you know."

"We don't get the day off often. Let's just enjoy it," Nagisa said.

"Fine. Just this once." Chieri stretched her arms and smiled.

Nagisa smiled back. She wanted Chieri to have fun.

The Flying Get had finally set down on the outskirts of the city. The support staff worked frantically from the ship to direct the reconstruction of the concert hall. The understudies picked their way through the chaos and headed for the front of the ship.

Kanata stopped as the understudies reached the stage, which caused the others to pile up behind her. "Good morning, Yuko."

"Heya," Yuko said. She pushed herself off the wall and walked forwards, carrying a camera. "I take it you girls are heading out?" She stopped and snapped a picture of the group.

"Not everything is open, but we'll make the best of it," Kanata said.

"That's what I like to hear. You girls have fun," Yuko said. She looked over the group and grinned at Chieri. "Say cheese."

Chieri smiled and stood slightly straighter. "Good morning."

Yuko snapped a quick photo of the younger girl, then waited for the others to fan out and took a photo of the group, focusing on Nagisa and Chieri. "Looking good as ever. I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but Mikako told me photography is like training to be Center Nova." She lowered the camera and nodded as Chieri stared at her. "Interested?"

"I'm not sure I follow her logic," Chieri said.

"They have a special insight into the radiance of others, apparently. Well, you'd probably know more about it than I do," Yuko said. She raised the camera. "Catch!"

Chieri jumped forwards, barely managing to catch the camera with the tips of her fingers. "You shouldn't do that. It's dangerous."

"I knew you'd catch it," Yuko said. "Anyway, I'll let you borrow that. I'm interested in the radiance you can see in this city." She waved as she walked back towards the centre of the ship.

"I'll see what I can do," Chieri said. She held the camera uncertainly, then turned and photographed Yuko's retreating back.

Akibastar was still being repaired, but the populace were doing their best to go about their lives as normal. The understudies moved among them as discreetly as they could, but they were still recognised wherever they went. Fans approached them, asking for autographs and cheering them on. They were slowed down further by Chieri, who stopped abruptly from time to time and took photographs. They watched a silly romantic comedy in the one working cinema in the city before heading to a restaurant for lunch. Chieri kept taking photographs as they walked. She slowly became more intense and ordered the other girls to stand in front of buildings and with fans while she photographed them. They laughed and humoured her as their kirara danced freely in the cool air.

Nagisa ended up snatching the camera from Chieri while they waited for a table at the restaurant. "Let me practice as well. You're really pretty, so it's a waste to make you the photographer."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Chieri said. But she still posed for a dozen pictures with a bright smile on her face.

"Nagisa, we've got a table now," Yuka said. "Pack it in, already."

"Sorry. We'll be right there." Nagisa passed the camera back to Chieri.

They ordered burgers and signed autographs for a few more stray fans before settling down to chat. They argued over whose work had been toughest over the last few weeks and traded stories about their fans before the conversation turned to the upcoming concert. Kanata leaned on her hand and smiled at Chieri. "What's it like, performing in the centre with the Successors? I'd be terrified."

Chieri tried to cut her burger with a knife and fork. "It's only practise, so I'm not scared," she said. "But I'm having some trouble."

"Just use your hands," Nagisa said. "And I'm the same. Everyone has high expectations of us. Performances they'd praise before aren't good enough now."

"There are worse problems to have," Yuka said.

"True enough. But I guess you two still don't have it easy," Kanata said.

Chieri finally gave up on using cutlery and picked up her burger by hand. "I just wish I knew what I should be trying to improve. The Thirteenth Acchan had something you can't exactly put into words." She watched Nagisa eat then slowly bit into her burger.

"I know what you mean," Kanata said.

"Honestly, I think you're both doing fine," Mariko said. "There's no rush to improve."

"I know Suzuko's watched all of Acchan's old recordings," Makoto asked. "Maybe she has some idea."

Suzuko pushed her glasses up her nose. "I'm not sure. I don't think Acchan is the most helpful comparison for Chieri."

"When I think of the Centre Nova, I think of her," Chieri said. "And from now on I'll be compared to her all the time."

"Your character's different from hers, though," Suzuko said.

"I suppose so," Chieri said. "But if I shouldn't be like Acchan, what kind of Center Nova should I be?"

"Well, you're more of a princess character," Suzuko said. "Regal and proud."

Chieri frowned. "Is that a compliment or criticism?"

"It's both. But the fans love us even though we're imperfect," Suzuko said. "So if you're true to yourself, you'll probably be fine."

Nagisa nodded. "I'm the one who needs to be like Acchan, after all."

"Thank you. I'll bear that in mind," Chieri said. She raised her camera and took a photograph of Suzuko.

"You're welcome," Suzuko said.

They lingered round the small round tables they'd awkwardly pushed together and chatted while they ate. Between practice and their work, Nagisa and Chieri hadn't been able to talk at length with their friends for a long time. Once they finished eating and the conversation wound down, Kanata leaned back in her chair and projected a map of Akibastar from her phone. "Anyway, what should we do this afternoon? A lot of the shops are still shut."

"There's always the beach," Suzuko said.

"I didn't bring my swimsuit," Nagisa said.

"Me either," Kanata said.

"We could go and visit WOTA," Chieri said. "They must be bored."

"I think that would be a bad idea," Orine said.

"I agree," Nagisa said. "Besides, isn't that work?"

"Not at all. It'd be fun," Chieri said. "We can bring them snacks and fraternise with them."

"I like that idea," Sonata said. "WOTA are good people."

Kanata ruffled her younger sister's hair. "Yeah. I'd be up for that."

"Sounds fine to me," Yuka said. She leaned her head on her hand and shrugged. "Well, we have time to kill."

"Alright," Nagisa said. "But if Chieri starts singing, I'll call Takamina."

Chieri laughed. "Fine."

The understudies bounced back and forth across the city as they searched for open shops. Yuka grabbed Nagisa by the arm as they came out of one of them and dragged her aside. "Did you tell Chieri?"

"I didn't, seriously," Nagisa said. "She just came up with this. There's no deeper meaning."

Yuka sighed. "Yeah, that sounds like her. Let's go."

They struggled across the city on foot, laden with bags, before eventually reaching a broken factory on the edge of town. After the destruction of WOTA's headquarters during the occupation, they'd requisitioned it as their new base.

Kanata ran ahead and waved. "Heya!"

Mamoru was guarding the entrance to the factory with another fan. He stared at the girls as they approached. "Uh, hi. The hell are you lot doing here?"

"We came to meet you all," Chieri said.

"We haven't made any preparations," Mamoru said.

"That doesn't matter," Chieri said. "We've brought snacks."

Kanata laughed at Mamoru's bemused expression. "Don't worry, I've messaged your commander. We have his permission."

"Really?" Chieri said. "I should have thought of that."

"Don't worry. That's part of my job," Kanata said.

"Understood. I'll show you in," Mamoru said. He blinked as Chieri photographed him.

Chieri smiled and lowered her camera. "It's fine. I'm not a spy." She led the other girls inside the factory.

"Yeah, I'm aware of that," Mamoru said. He picked his way past broken machinery. Light poured through half-broken windows in the walls above them. "I feel bad bringing you all to a place like this."

"If it's good enough for you guys, it's good enough for us," Kanata said. She waved as the other soldiers noticed them.

"Good afternoon, everyone. We came to see you!" Chieri said. "Well, we're just the understudies, though."

An athletic, balding man and folded his arms as they reached the center of the factory. "I'm Ichiro Yoshida, the man in charge of these scruffy bums. We're honoured by your presence."

"Not at all," Chieri said. "Thank you very much for everything you do for us. We are always in your debt."

"You're too kind." Ichiro turned to the other soldiers. "00 have kindly come to visit you maggots! It's more than you deserve, so be polite, or I'll hang you high!"

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers chorused.

WOTA were initially uncertain, but Mamoru and Aoi approached Nagisa and Suzuko directly and broke the ice. "Congratulations, Atsuko," Mamoru said. "Everyone on Lancastar's cheering for you."

"Thank you," Nagisa said. "How have things been?"

"Not bad," Mamoru said. "We help with the reconstruction when we can. But everyone's looking forwards to providing security for the concert."

Aoi nodded. "We saw you at the battle concert. You were so cool!"

"You're exaggerating," Nagisa said. "Compared to Chieri, I was nothing special."

"Don't put yourself down, Atsuko," Chieri said. "You're still my rival, after all."

"You were great out there," Mamoru said to Nagisa.

"You're too kind," Nagisa said. She glanced at Yuka before turning to face several other members of WOTA as they finally worked up the courage to approach. She clapped her hands as she recognised one of them. "You're Satoshi, aren't you? You greeted me during the General Elections."

He nodded to her. "In the end, you weren't elected. I'm ashamed for my failure. But I'm so proud you're succeeding as Atsuko Maeda."

"I've come this far because of you and all my fans," Nagisa said. "Please keep cheering for me. I promise that next year I'll definitely be elected."

The understudies fanned out to greet their respective fans, filling the factory with chatter. Chieri shook hands with one of her regular fans before stepping towards a tall young man who was hanging back. "Hello. I'm Chieri Sono." She stopped and blinked. "Sorry, have we met somewhere? I remember your face."

He stood at attention with burning cheeks. "We met on the battlefield, ma'am."

"On the battlefield?" Chieri's brow wrinkled. "Oh, I remember! I broke your helmet!"

He avoided her gaze. "I'm deeply ashamed for everything I've done-"

Chieri darted sideways and looked up into his eyes. "If you understand, you don't need to apologise. What's your name?"

"Daiki Fukazawa," he said.

"Pleased to meet you, Daiki," Chieri said. "I'm Chieri, or Cherry if you prefer. You're a fan of AKB now, right? If you have a favourite idol, I'll introduce you. It might take a little longer if they're a Successor, though."

"Of course, I'm Cherry's fan now!" Daiki said. "You're the only idol for me!"

Chieri smiled. "Thank you very much. Please cheer for me, then. I want to bring my song to everyone in the galaxy."

Daiki met her eyes for the first time and smiled. "You can do it. I'll support you all the way."

"Thank you," Chieri said.

"Hey, Arashi, get over here!" Daiki said. "I've talked to her, so you have no excuse." He dragged a young man forwards. "He's another huge fan of yours, but he's shy."

"Hello," Chieri said. "I'm Chieri Sono. Pleased to meet you."

"Arashi Koga," the boy said. He was perhaps two or three years older than Chieri. He tilted his head away from her and ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. "I've studied your performances. You're amazing."

"Thank you," Chieri said. "Where are you from?"

"Glenstar," Arashi said.

"You've come a long way," Chieri said. "Isn't that one of DES's core planets?"

Arashi nodded. "I was working for DES when I saw the broadcast of the trial. Seeing that moved me. Everything began from there."

"I remember that," Chieri said. "It's a little embarrassing. I just said everything that came to mind."

"Your words shook DES," Arashi said. "Really."

"Any member of AKB would have said the same thing," Chieri said. "We're all pursuing our dreams. Do you want me to sign something?"

"Let me think." Arashi groped around the deep pockets of his jacket before pulling out a white bandana. "Here."

Chieri took it from him and gestured for him to turn around. "Stay still." She pressed it against his back as she signed it with a flourish. "I'll keep singing, so keep cheering for me, okay?"

"I'll follow you," Arashi said.

Nagisa watched Chieri from behind as she caught her breath. Chieri really was popular, especially among DES deserters. Katana and Sonata were shining, too. To them, WOTA was their family and their home. Nagisa breathed out and stepped forwards to greet another fan with a smile on her face. No matter how often she did this, she found it hard to believe she was loved. She had plenty of fans who were cheering with her. But even if she'd been given the name Atsuko, she wasn't as talented as Chieri or as reliable as Kanata. She was always afraid, but she still wanted to shine brightly. So she greeted her fans and chatted with them with a smile. Little by little, she pieced together all the things Chieri felt by intuition and Kanata knew from experience. DES's deserters always treated her like a superior officer. Their guilt hurt them and they wanted to be reassured. The fans from Akibastar knew more about her than anyone else, but they still blamed themselves for DES's occupation. And the fans from far-away worlds were the most star-struck and the most uncertain. She had a lot of fans like that. She was shy too, but it was her job to break down the walls between them. They loved her and she loved them. Warm yet distant, bright and pure.

After some time, Kanata moved around the room, setting up games of poker using the decks of cards the oldest soldiers hid somewhere about their persons. Nagisa somehow ended up opposite Chieri as their fans explained the rules of poker.

Chieri leaned forwards and put her hands on her knees once they were finished. "Interesting. The ancients came up with some neat things."

Nagisa sighed. "Go easy on me."

They ate snacks with the soldiers and played several games. Chieri's expression barely wavered from her usual cool smile as her eyes darted left and right, taking in everything. What she lacked in skill or experience she made up in fierce concentration and not a little luck. More than once she hit slender outs on the river and sat back with a satisfied expression. Nagisa did her best to avoid losing everything. At least Chieri was having fun.

Suzuko approached them after the third game was over. "Chieri, can I borrow your camera? Some of Sonati's fans want to take pictures with her."

"That's fine," Chieri said. She passed Suzuko the camera. "Anyway, let's do another match."

Nagisa raised her hands. "I'm pretty sure people will want photos with you as well."

Chieri cocked her head. "Really?"

"Of course," Daiki said.

"I'll pass," Arashi said. "I always look stupid in photographs."

"So do I, you know," Nagisa said. "Don't worry about it."

Just as Nagisa suspected, they ended up passing the camera around and taking photographs with almost the entire room. Suzuko organised everything and took charge of the files. Nagisa ran herself ragged posing with her fans. Once attention finally turned away from her again, she broke away and caught her breath in a corner of the damaged factory.

Chieri approached her with her jade kirara flying by her side. "Have you seen Yuka? Her fans have been asking after her."

Nagisa nodded. "I think she's busy. I'll find her."

"I'm happy to look for her, you know," Chieri said. She smiled at Nagisa's troubled expression. "But I'll leave it to you. Just don't take too long. I want to take a group photo with everyone before we go."

Nagisa nodded. "You sound like you're having fun."

"Of course," Chieri said. She beckoned her floating kirara back to her and walked back towards the centre of the factory.

Nagisa's kirara flew after them before circling back and hovering around her head. "Sorry. We'll join them later." Nagisa raised her hand and let her pet settle on her palm. "Do you know where Yuka is?"

Her kirara took off again, surrounded by a soft radiance. Nagisa followed it across the edge of the factory and out the half-open bay doors at the back. The cargo monorails lay broken on the ground, surrounded by shattered shipping containers. Nagisa put her finger on her lips to silence her flighty kirara and crept forwards. She rounded the corner of one of the containers and nearly crashed into Aoi. Nagisa reeled back before gathering herself.

Aoi choked back laughter. Once they'd both recovered, the soldier led them deeper into the ruins of the cargo bay before abruptly stopping short. Nagisa peaked over her shoulder.

"I'm used to them by now," Mamoru said. He stood behind Yuka. "They know how to fight, so we need them."

Yuka sat on top of a cargo crate and looked out towards the edge of the city. "They could be spies, you know. I don't like it."

"They're all AKB fans. I know that much for sure," Mamoru said.

"I guess. But WOTA isn't an army," Yuka said.

"Of course. But we still need to be strong," Mamoru said. "Look at this city. This is what DES does."

Yuka looked back at him. "You aren't a soldier. I don't need you, so just go home!"

"I won't go home. I've made up my mind," Mamoru said.

"Don't be stupid. Your mom's gonna kill you, you know," Yuka said.

"I'll talk to her. But either way, I'll keep fighting," Mamoru said. "I want to do something for you all."

Yuka turned away. "Don't expect me to thank you. Go ahead and get yourself killed if you want!"

"I won't die." Mamoru stepped towards her. "And your job isn't exactly safe either."

"We're stronger than you," Yuka said. "I'll be fine."

"I'm still worried. I want to protect you," Mamoru said. He stopped behind her and looked down at her. "Even if that's useless, I want to watch over you."

"You're an idiot, seriously." Yuka put her head in her hands. "How do you think I'll feel if you die? I don't even know why I'm doing this myself half the time. If I'm dragging you into danger as well, what the hell's the point? I'm second-rate at best."

Nagisa pressed herself against the cargo container. Why was she even here? She'd come this far and all she could do was eavesdrop. She couldn't walk forwards and she couldn't look away.

Mamoru put his hands on Yuka's shoulders. "Don't whine. You were shining at the concert."

"At the concert I was just going with the flow. That's all I can do," Yuka said. "I always stopped myself from competing with the Successors. I even ignored Chieri because I figured she was just talented. But even Nagisa forced herself to compete and she's come this far. That made me realise how much time I've wasted."

Aoi looked back at Nagisa and stifled another giggle.

"It's not wasted time," Mamoru said. "You have plenty of fans."

"I know that, already. I'm not blind." Yuka walked forwards then turned to face him. "But I'm not like those two. I don't know if this is what I should be doing. I left you behind once, but I-" She broke off and looked away.

"If you hadn't left then, I would never have changed," Mamoru said. "So I owe you one for that."

"You're welcome, I guess," Yuka said. "I was just being selfish, you know."

Mamoru smiled. "It's fine for you to be here, you know. No matter how far ahead you fly, I'll always be right behind you."

"You promise?" Yuka said.

"Yeah," Mamoru said.

Yuka looked down at the floor and wiped her eyes. "I'll hold you to that. Gotta go, though."

"I know," Mamoru said.

"I guess we were worrying too much," Aoi whispered. She grabbed Nagisa's hand and fled back towards the factory.

Chieri welcomed Nagisa back with a smile and waited patiently while Yuka posed for her fans. She glanced at Mamoru as he slipped inside the factory and rejoined the circle of soldiers. "How is she?" she asked Nagisa.

"Fine, I think," Nagisa said. "I didn't have to do anything in the end."

"I see. Well, we can challenge the traditions if we need to," Chieri whispered. "Shall I talk to Tsubasa?"

Nagisa breathed out. "Thanks, but there's no need."

"I see," Chieri said.

Taking the group photograph proved chaotic despite Suzuko's best efforts to organise everyone. Once they'd managed it, the understudies headed back through the city, tired but cheerful. Yuka had recovered her usual poise and joked around with Orine and Makoto. Kanata carried a sleepy Sonata on her back without a word of complaint and chatted with Mariko. Suzuko kept pace with Nagisa, a step behind Chieri. The blue haired girl looked up at the sky as she walked as if to see past the blank darkness of the city's dome to the night sky beyond.

Nagisa grabbed Chieri's shoulder a moment before she walked into a lamp-post. "It's been a long day, hasn't it?"

Chieri blinked as if waking from a trance. "I suppose so. This is almost more tiring than practice, you know."

"Sorry," Nagisa said. "But it was fun."

Chieri nodded. "Thank you." She turned abruptly and photographed all the understudies.

"What?" Kanata said. "Give us some warning."

"This way is fine," Chieri said. She lowered the camera. "It's my answer for Yuko."

Nagisa and Chieri parted from the others before they reached the Flying Get. A car picked them up and drove them across the city. Chieri leaned back in the comfortable leather seat as she read Takamina's materials on the two agencies while they drove. Nagisa glanced sidelong at her friend. "What are you going to do? Turn them down?"

Chieri blushed. "Of course. But I'd feel bad for Takamina if I didn't read this. She personalised it, you know."

"Did she?" Nagisa said. She opened her copy and moved the projection next to Chieri's copy. "So she did. She really is conscientious."

"What will you do?" Chieri asked.

Nagisa frowned. "I don't know. I didn't join 00 to become a celebrity."

Chieri chuckled. "We're already celebrities, you know. But I know what you mean. Our dream was just to stand on that stage and sing."

"Exactly. Everything's become more complicated now." Nagisa touched the projection and scrolled down Takamina's long message. "I just want to do my best as Atsuko Maeda. But after today, well, maybe my fans would be happy if I did more solo work, after all. So I don't know."

"I see. You have a point," Chieri said. She looked out of the window of the car as it navigated through the uneven roads of the city.

Nagisa looked sidelong at her friend. "Let's keep an open mind."

"I suppose so," Chieri said. She rested her cheek on her hand.

They were dropped off in front of WOTA-Pro's Akibastar branch. Nagisa looked up at the office building before them and paused a moment to gather herself. It was a needle of clean glass and cold sky that shot up into the sky, the kind of building they saw on the horizon every day and passed from time to time without thinking. It was quietly formidable, and this situation was intimidating. Once she passed through these glass doors, she'd be treated as an adult. She'd have to make up her own mind without anyone else there to guide her.

"Let's go," Chieri said.

Nagisa followed her through the glass doors. The floor was a mosaic of white and black tiles, polished to a mirror sheen. A young woman dressed in a dark, neat suit was waiting for them in front of the reception desk. She had a tablet slung under her left arm. "Good evening. I'm Ayumu Sakamoto."

They exchanged names and greetings in a swift ritual. Chieri had the easy confidence of a girl who had spent her entire life being introduced to CEOs and politicians. Nagisa envied her, since she still felt stiff. This was a little different from handshake events, after all.

Ayumu guided them into the glass lift and took them up to the highest floor. They briefly greeted a dozen more people before separating. A clean-shaven young man guided Nagisa into his office. She looked out of the window towards the line of buildings on the other side of the lake while he closed the door behind her. Bright neon lights lit up the night.

"The name's Reiji Fukui. It's a pleasure."

"Good evening. I'm Nagisa Motomiya," Nagisa said. She shook his hand.

"Sit down, sit down," Reiji Fukui said. His long black hair was tied back into a ponytail and he had a natural smoothness that Nagisa instinctively distrusted. Some people were just born to sell you things. "Congratulations on your Succession, by the way. You've been given a proud name at a young age." He sat down opposite her and passed a paper contract across the table.

"Thank you," Nagisa said. "But I'm still nothing compared to Chieri."

"Maybe not, but you'll do," Reiji said. He smiled when she glared at him. "Oh, relax. You have real potential."

"Maybe as a 00 member," Nagisa said.

"Your modesty's charming, but you say things to make other people reassure you," Reiji said.

Nagisa flushed and put her hands on her knees. "Isn't that normal?"

"I'd expect it from someone else, but you're one of the blessed 77th generation's twin aces," Reiji said. He grinned. "I was expecting to have to puncture your arrogance."

"What blessed generation? That doesn't make sense," Nagisa said.

"Go read the fan sites some time and you'll see what I'm talking about," Reiji said. He leaned back in his seat. "Anyway, let's get down to business."

He went over WOTA-Pro's proposed contract with her. Despite his flash exterior, he had memorised the exact details of the contract and could talk easily about the critical points. Nagisa stared down at the contract and found her eyes glazing over. She could understand what he was saying, but it was hard to relate that to herself. He talked about percentages and photo-shoots and acting and contacts and networking, a hundred things she was expected to understand and imagine. In the first place, she'd never done any solo work in her life.

"The important thing is that we can support you. We're experienced with working around AKB0048's scheduling, so that won't be a problem. Just leave the details to us." Reiji smiled and leaned back in his chair as Nagisa stared blankly at him. "Miss Motomiya, shall we talk about dreams?"

Nagisa blinked. "Sorry, what?"

"You've finally obtained the position of a Successor. What more do you want to achieve in 00, and what do you want to do once you've graduated?" Reiji said.

Nagisa nodded. "Um, well, I still want to become the Centre Nova. Right now Chieri's ahead of me, but I still want to reach the top of 00. After that, well, I don't know. I'm not going to graduate for years and years."

"00 graduates can become anything, but you still need to put in the necessary effort. There's no better time to aim for something and start working towards it," Reiji said.

Nagisa blinked. She'd never thought that far ahead. She knew that many graduates became celebrities of one kind or another, but she'd never really imagined herself as doing that. She'd just wanted to sing as a member of 00. "Even if you say that, I don't know. If I graduate like that, I was assuming I'd live a normal life afterwards."

"If you don't know, just try everything I can find for you and see if there's anything you like. You're still a child, so adults will forgive that kind of selfishness," Reiji said.

"Adults like the ratings we bring in," Nagisa said. "I've learned that much from Chieri."

Reiji laughed. "Touché. I didn't peg you as the cynical type. But the point stands."

Nagisa stood up and folded her hands. "I know what you're saying, and I appreciate your kind offer, but right now I want to focus on 00. I'm not worthy of the name Atsuko Maeda yet."

"Are you scared?" Reiji asked.

"Yeah. I'm not Chieri," Nagisa said. "But I still want to do my best."

"Well said. If you were a normal girl with normal ambitions, I'd leave it at that," Reiji said. He stood and walked to the window overlooking the city. "But you're not so talented you'll be able to reach the top by taking the safe path."

"The Centre Nova's chosen by Se- S-quadruple," Nagisa said. She bit her lip as she corrected herself. This was forbidden ground. "And besides, I don't see what safety has to do with it."

"You're afraid you'll fail as a Successor if you don't devote yourself completely to 00. That's your safety," Reiji said.

"That's not it. You don't know anything about me," Nagisa said.

Reiji leaned against the window and turned his head to face her. "Nagisa Motomiya, 13. You were born on 24.01.0035 to an entertainment bureau official and a housewife on Lancastar. In 0044, you attended 00's first guerilla live on your homeworld with Miss Ichijo, Miss Aida and Chieri Sono. You successfully passed both rounds of 00's audition on your first attempt. You were introduced to the world in a swimsuit video, but you're more famous for your swimsuit photo-shoot on Atamistar, when you were partnered with Chieri Sono." He chuckled when Nagisa frowned at him. "And skipping forwards a little, you were the last unelected member to turn to leave at the end of the General Election, and then you ran out of the hall with your head held high."

Nagisa blinked. Everything else was information anyone who put in enough effort could find out, but when she'd watched the broadcast of the election, they'd cut back to the stage before she left. "How do you know that?"

"I was there." Reiji straightened. "I left thinking you'd also gained something from that night, even if you hadn't been elected."

Nagisa nodded. "I guess so. Well, I hope so."

Reiji smiled. "I could go on, but we'll leave it at that. I won't say I know you, but I do believe in your potential."

Nagisa smiled. "Thank you. I'll think about your offer and get back to you." She picked up the contract and put it under her arm.

"I'd appreciate that. Call me if you need anything," Reiji said. He pulled out his phone and sent her his card.

"I will. Good night." Nagisa let him show her out. He was slick and rude, but he wasn't an idiot. Part of her really was afraid of stepping into a strange new world.

She waited in the car for Chieri. Her friend arrived late and radiating a searing heat. "They don't know when to give up," Chieri said.

"I see. That sounds unpleasant," Nagisa said. "I hope you weren't too hard on them."

Chieri slammed her seatbelt into place. "I was just honest. How about you? Did they give you a hard time?"

Nagisa nodded. "It was tough. But it wasn't in vain. I'll see what Para-Pro has to say, but if they don't interest me, I'll probably join WOTA-Pro."

Chieri blinked. "Why the change of heart?"

"Well, they all seemed like nice people." Nagisa smiled when Chieri looked suspiciously at her. "And because I can't hope to compete with you if I'm half-hearted."

"I see." Chieri smiled. "Well, if you've made your mind up, it's fine. Any agency will be lucky to have you."

"Thank you," Nagisa said. She leaned back in her seat and folded her hands together as Chieri looked out of the window in silence. She'd probably upset Chieri, even if her friend was graceful about it. But she didn't know what to say to overcome the sudden distance between them.

Para-Pro was located across the lake and was more obviously scarred by the occupation. New computers had been moved in and several floors were still closed for repairs. Chieri had teased out the story while a secretary gave them a tour of the building. WOTA-Pro had been raided by DES forces acting on Zodiac's behalf and their data seized, but it had been so clean the damage was limited. They'd managed to warn Para-Pro, who destroyed their data rather than let it fall into DES's hands. The price of loyalty was the ire of Zodiac's representative. Even now, she found reasons to be ashamed of her father. But that had nothing to do with whether or not she joined an agency. As the secretary gave her a speech she'd heard before at WOTA-Pro, Chieri calculated despite herself. The 13th Acchan had been a member of WOTA-Pro and they were considered the leader for acting and broadcast work. But Mii-chan had been with Para-Pro, and their contacts in the modelling world matched Chieri's previous experience. She'd managed to make a name for herself in glamour photography, so Para-Pro was probably the more natural fit for her. Either way, she aspired to fame. She wanted to live in a world filled with symbols of her own existence. She wanted people across the galaxy to know her name as a result of her own efforts and achievements, not because of her father's power.

But the Centre Nova was a butterfly, not an oak tree. If the brightest star burned fast and died young, everything these people could offer her was a pointless distraction from her path.

WOTA-Pro's agent had been quite young, but Para-Pro's advocate was a sharply-dressed, middle-aged woman. Kana Ohtori was calm and stern. She had seen it all before and she had no reason to defer to anyone, not even 00's new star. Chieri noted the wedding ring and the family photograph on Kana's desk. But even if she was a child who was made to feel like a child, she had confidence in her obstinacy. She rejected Kana's offer out of hand and refuted the arguments the older woman made with quiet confidence. She'd never asked for these interviews, so she wasn't going to act like a supplicant. It would be best for everyone if she just put an end to this quickly.

After ten minutes of futile argument, Kana leaned back and looked over her glasses at Chieri. "Fine. Say in one sentence why you won't join an agency."

"The position of Centre Nova is an enormous responsibility and I still need to improve, so I intend to focus on my work for 00 alone for the immediate future," Chieri said. "That's all."

"I don't think that's it at all. I think that's just an excuse that sounds good," Kana said. She shrugged. "But if you're that obstinate, there's nothing I can do."

"I'm sorry. If I change my mind, I'll certainly contact you," Chieri said. She rose to leave.

"Wait. Miss Katagiri gave you to us for an hour, so we're not done here yet," Kana said. "If you're not interested in a contract, I'll just kill time with you." She pulled a pack of cards from her handbag and and began to shuffle them. The backs were ornately decorated in green and gold.

Chieri sighed and sat down. This really was a pain, but if she'd already won, she'd let it go. "Is this poker again?"

"No. These are tarot cards, a method of divination from the ancient world," Kana said.

"Divination doesn't exist," Chieri said.

"The Centre Nova should be a spiritual person," Kana said.

"Because I'm the Centre Nova, I know those cards have no special power," Chieri said.

"You can decide that after I'm finished. When I was an idol, this was my speciality," Kana said. She kept her eyes on Chieri while she shuffled and talked smoothly.

"Were you in 00?" Chieri asked. She didn't recognise the face.

Kana shook her head. "I was in SKE0048. That was a long time ago, of course. But I haven't lost my touch for this."

Chieri nodded slightly.

Kana passed Chieri the deck of cards. "Shuffle them yourself, then we can get down to business." She smiled. "What question would you like to ask?"

Chieri did her best to mix the cards up. Kana made it look easy, but she'd never learned how to shuffle properly. "Let me think. Well, what would you recommend?"

"The tarot provides guidance, but I can't tell you what your problems are," Kana said. "If you're anxious about a decision you have to make, or a problem with your personal relationships or your work, just ask."

Chieri handed back the shuffled deck and smiled. "Then I'll humour you, I suppose. 'Should I join an agency?'"

"You should take responsibility for your own choices. But I can explore your feelings and possible consequences if you chose to an agency," Kana said.

"That's fine by me," Chieri said. "This isn't going to affect my decision either way, but I'm happy to play along."

"Do you consider yourself an adult?" Kana said. She drew three cards and placed them face-down in front of her.

"Of course not. But I'm old enough to make my own decisions," Chieri said. "Everyone in 00 has that much resolve."

"You're strong. But I'm not your enemy." Kana flipped over the first card to reveal the Eight of Swords. "In your past, you were trapped. What was imprisoning you?"

"I think that's well-known," Chieri said.

"Perhaps less than you think," Kana said. "This wouldn't be something you could easily talk about."

"I lived in a gilded cage. But I escaped by myself," Chieri said.

"Your father constrained you. Did you feel rejected by him?" Kana said.

"I don't talk about my father," Chieri said.

Kana nodded. "That's fair. But that also gives those memories power over you, even now. That's why this card is here."

Chieri folded her arms. "Under the circumstances, there's no way I can forget. But I told you, I've already escaped."

"I see." Kana flipped over the second card to reveal the reversed Page of Cups. "This is your present. This can represent immaturity and chaotic emotions. Do you think that's relevant to you or someone you know?"

"I consider myself mature for my age. I have my problems, but I'm dealing with them as best I can," Chieri said. "And like I said, everyone else is like that, too."

"I'm inclined to agree, which is why this card worries me," Kana said. "What about your creative abilities? Do you feel frustrated or at a loss with your work?"

Chieri frowned. "My work's always hard."

"We've just met, so it's understandable you don't trust me. But you don't need to hide your true feelings." Kana smiled. "I saw you when you saved this world. You can accept yourself and others."

"You want me to work for you, so it's awkward," Chieri said.

"No. I want to work for you," Kana said.

"Either way, it's awkward. But I understand what you're trying to say," Chieri said. She twisted her hands together. "I've been struggling recently because I'm aiming higher than before. It's not that I'm worse than I used to be, it's just that everyone has huge expectations because I'm the Centre Nova. They expect me to be Acchan. I don't want to let them down, but it's not easy."

"Thank you for telling me that. Now I can see much more clearly," Kana said. "You feel strongly you need to excel and that pressure's weighing heavily on you. Do you think your relationship with your father is related to that?"

"Aren't they completely unrelated?" Chieri said. She prised her hands apart and placed them on her knees. She knew she was being defensive, but right now that felt like losing. She could afford to be more honest. "No, maybe you're right. I've always been ashamed of my father because he armed DES. When I started to succeed in 00, there were people who discovered that and came to resent me as a result. So I suppose I've always felt the need to prove myself in that sense."

"Do you feel you've proved yourself now?" Kana said. "You've succeeded as the Centre Nova without a name as a young age."

"I thought if I became the Centre Nova, I'd feel that way. But now I'm not so sure. I still have a long way to go," Chieri said.

Kana smiled as she flipped over the final card to reveal the King of Swords. "I see. In any case, this represents your future. The King of Swords is the card of logic, intellect and law. It can represent receiving advice and guidance from an expert."

Chieri giggled. "So, someone like an agent, then?"

"Quite possibly," Kana said. "But this is also a way for you to think about your own problems. The

Eight of Swords represents entrapment and blindness, and the reversed Page of Cups can mean following your emotions without thinking clearly, but the King of Swords is the card of calm and rational judgement. So if you can't think clearly right now, there's no rush. In the near future, you'll be better placed to decide."

Chieri leaned back in her chair and sighed. "That's what I said before you took out the cards, you know."

"Of course. But I hope I've demonstrated that I'm not your enemy," Kana said. She looked down at the cards one last time. "If you're honest to yourself and others, you should be able to put the pressures you're feeling in context. You have friends in 00 who would miss if you were gone, don't you?"

"I suppose so," Chieri said. Nagisa came to mind.

"Then you already belong to AKB0048," Kana said. She picked up the three cards and shuffled them into the deck again. She held Chieri's gaze as she casually shuffled the deck. "Once you put your problems into perspective like that, you'll be able to see more clearly. As far as I can tell, you're a rational and intelligent girl."

"Why, thank you," Chieri said. She reached out across the table towards the deck. "Can I draw one?"

"Go ahead," Kana said. She offered Chieri the deck.

Chieri met her gaze and smiled. "Let me show you the place I'm aiming for." She drew the World card and placed it on the table between them. Her kirara floated about her head and shone with a wispy, haunting radiance.

Kana's eyes widened slightly. "And yet you don't believe in divination."

"Is that a good one?" Chieri asked.

Kana rested her chin on her hands. "Well, in this context, it means you can believe in your dreams."

"I see," Chieri said. She let go of the card and stared across the table at Kana. "Just how much do you know about the Centre Nova? About what I am and what that means?"

Kana took the World card and glanced idly at it. "Probably more than you think. We've supported AKB0048 from the shadows for a long time. Do you know about Yuihan the 6th?"

"I've heard of her, but she was before my time," Chieri said.

"She was my first client from 00. She was a really brilliant girl, so much so I knew that if she didn't become a superstar, it would be my fault," Kana said. She shuffled the World card into her deck of cards. "She obtained everything, then vanished one day without a word. I never even had the chance to say goodbye."

Chieri nodded. "I see."

Kana slid the cards into her bag and looked across the table at Chieri. "Do you believe that's your future, as well?"

"I don't know what the future holds. I just know that what I'm aiming for lies far beyond where I am right now," Chieri said.

Kana nodded. "If you feel that way, I think you have a duty to do everything you can for your fans. Not just as the Centre Nova, but as Chieri Sono as well."

Chieri raised her right hand and let her kirara settle on it. "I see. Perhaps you're right." She'd thought of solo work as a form of selfishness, a way to burnish her popularity and prepare for a future career she didn't expect to reach. But perhaps it could also become a legacy. She smiled at her kirara, then turned to face Kana again. "If you were once an idol, why did you become an agent? Isn't it more fun to be on my side of the table?"

"Being an idol was fun, but in the end, what I most enjoyed was supporting and guiding the younger girls," Kana said. "When I realised that, it all fell into place. When you're old enough to have understudies looking up to you, you'll understand what I mean."

"Perhaps. But I'm a prima donna, so perhaps not," Chieri said.

Kana laughed. "I see. At least you know yourself, I suppose."

"I like to think so," Chieri said. She leaned back in the black leather chair and breathed out. She'd never been ashamed to admit to that. Being an idol was a zero-sum game, so she'd always taken any chance she could to stand out from the others. So what had she been so afraid of when she'd come here? Was it really just this room, all black wood and wide glass windows, this leather chair, all the symbols of corporate power that set her teeth on edge?

Kana spent the rest of their time together listening to Chieri. She had a knack for asking the right question then staying quiet long enough for Chieri to answer, then answer again, then break down and express her real feelings. But by and large they only talked about simple things, like her impressions of the Successors or what her favourite song was. By degrees, she relaxed and started to enjoy herself, so much so that she was vaguely disappointed when it was time to head back to the Flying Get.

Nagisa was waiting for her in the car. "How did it go?"

"It was interesting," Chieri said. She sat down next to Nagisa and closed the car door. "Have you decided who you'll go with?"

"WOTA-Pro, I think. That's what Takamina suggested for me as well," Nagisa said.

"I see." Chieri put her hands behind her head and looked out of the window as they drove up. "If you were me, what would you do?"

Nagisa paused for a moment before replying. "I'd join an agency, I think. You're already the Centre Nova."

"Mm. I thought you'd say something like that." Chieri rested her head against Nagisa's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Today was a long day."

"Are you okay?" Nagisa said.

"I'm just tired." Chieri knew she was being unfair, but right now, she didn't mind. Nagisa would accept it. Nagisa had always been the first person to accept her.

Tsubasa stepped inside the practice room and waited for the song to finish. Her eyes flickered left and right as she watched the understudies perform.

Ushiyama clapped as they struck their final pose. "Take five."

Tsubasa approached him as the girls sat down and drank water. "How is our ace?"

"In fine form," Ushiyama said. He watched Chieri as she stood apart from the others and caught her breath. "She's at her best when she has something to prove."

"Wasn't she a step further forwards than usual?" Tsubasa said.

"She began that herself." Ushiyama nodded at Nagisa as she approached Chieri and offered her friend a bottle of water. "And Atsuko followed her."

"I don't mind as long as they don't fall off the stage," Tsubasa said. She stepped forwards. "Chieri, Atsuko, we've had a request for an online interview with an independent radio station. You're on in half an hour."

"I don't mind, but this is at short notice," Chieri said. She'd busied herself with her towel while the adults were talking, but of course she'd been careful to listen to every word they said. Whispering wasn't enough; she had razor-sharp hearing. She supposed 'fine form' would suffice, though it was hard not to feel manipulated in the process.

"The request is coming from Sagittariusstar. We don't know how long the signal will hold," Tsubasa said.

Chieri nodded. "I see. We won't let them down." She'd never heard of other 00 fans on Sagitarriusstar, but perhaps her father's advertising had paid off.

"The rest of you keep practising," Tsubasa said. "Your recent performances have been on par with the Successors. I want you all to keep that momentum going after Chieri and Nagisa succeed."

"Leave it to us," Kanata said.

Ushiyama waited patiently for Chieri and Nagisa to leave then clapped his hands again. "We're starting from the top. Kanata, take the centre position. Yuka, you're in Nagisa's spot."

Yuka blinked and nodded. "Yes!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Communication**

00 had already been a pressured environment, but living for an extended period on the Flying Get was a novel form of misery. Their dormitories on Akibastar had been flattened during the occupation; DES was competent at destroying stationary targets and intimidating unarmed civilians. Tsubasa had prioritised reconstruction of the concert hall, and no one was minded to argue with that, but the damage caused by the occupation had crippled a city already straining at the seams to accommodate its population. There was no space for them below, and no chance they'd leave for another planet at a time like this, all of which would have presented no problem if the Katyusha had been operational. But their flagship had vanished like a ghost in the night to be repaired and refitted in a distant system, leaving them to smoulder in the cramped conditions of the Flying Get. Outside their time aiding the reconstruction and supporting the people of the city, their lives were bound by its steel walls. The members always lived cheek by jowl, but as time passed punctuated by eating, sleeping, and relentless practise, even Nagisa was feeling claustrophobic. There was still a week left until the concert, and the time weighed heavily on her. Normally they were rushing from one performance to another, which left her in a constant state of nervous tension but at least meant she didn't really have time to brood. Waiting around for the concert hall to be finished was nerve-racking in an exciting new way.

By the time Nagisa and Chieri had finished their extra training with the Successors, showered, and made it to the dining room, their friends in the 77th Generation were already eating dessert. Nagisa sat down next to Chieri along with the other Successors and ate quietly. Yuko and Takamina carried on an interminable and incomprehensible argument about whether their dispersed formation or their stage formation was more enjoyable for the fans.

Yuko waved her fork with the air of someone challenging the long-held tenets of a misguided faith. "In the first place, no one cares about our dancing anyway. We work hard, but there's only a tiny minority of fans who even notice the difference between an okay performance and a great one. They just want to see us up close."

"You can say that because you find it easy. Believe me, people notice when you don't do a good job," Takamina said. She looked across the table at Yuko and sighed. "When we do things properly, everyone can at least take their time from you. And from Chieri, come to that."

"Oh, come on. There's no one here who can't nail a song performing solo," Yuko said.

"I wonder about that. I know all the choreography, but you still need to hold the attention of all the fans," Yukirin said. "Performing solo must be really quite hard."

Yuko rounded on Nagisa and Chieri. "What do you two think? 'Nagisa no Cherry' is basically a solo song."

"I'm not sure," Nagisa said after a moment's silence. "Chieri and the others were still with me, so it wasn't too bad. But I think that's different from being alone on-stage." She glanced sidelong at Chieri.

"I suppose so. We even split the song between us," Chieri said.

Nagisa nodded. Chieri was quieter than normal, which worried her.

"I'm sure you'll get a chance to do it properly soon enough. But I don't think solo work is so bad," Yuko said.

"We have established that what Yuko thinks is the important thing here," Mayuyu said. She spoke in an emotionless monotone then raised her chopsticks and carried on demolishing her third bowl of rice that meal. As far as Nagisa could tell, it was completely normal for her to dedicate more energy to eating then she did to talking.

Yuko rested her chin on her hand and smirked. "I see you're still angry about me hugging Yukirin earlier."

Mayuyu lowered her chopsticks and chewed deliberately before swallowing. "Not really. This is a new and unrelated way you're making a fool of yourself."

Chieri put her chopsticks down on top of her plate of fish and stood up. "I'm going on ahead. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Don't rush off. These two aren't arguing, they're always like this," Takamina said.

"Very true. You two should play nice, okay?" Kojiharu said. "You're upsetting the children."

Chieri smiled. "Don't worry, I've just finished eating, that's all. Mayuyu, you can have my pudding."

"An excellent idea," Mayuyu said.

"I'll be along in a minute," Nagisa said. She watched Chieri walk away and frowned.

"She hasn't eaten properly," Sayaka said. "This is what happens when you people fool around at the dinner table."

"We're always like this, though. I figure she's used to it," Yuko said. She glanced at Nagisa and shrugged.

"I think you're right," Nagisa said. She used her chopsticks to toy with her food. "But I guess she does something like this every so often." She spent the rest of the meal eating as fast as she could then made her excuses and headed for the dormitory. The other members of the 77th Generation were scattered about their bunks answering fan mail under Kanata's supervision. "Good evening."

"Heya. What kept you?" Yuka said.

"Practise ran long." Nagisa looked around. "Have you seen Chieri?"

"No. Isn't she with you?" Kanata said.

Nagisa shook her head. "She took off early after dinner, so I assumed she came straight here. I'll go look for her."

Yuka sighed. "This is Chieri we're talking about, you know. She always wanders off by herself, and she'll probably be happier if you just leave her to it."

Nagisa smiled. "I think you're right. But I'll always go after her anyway."

Orine giggled. "That's just like you."

Yuka slumped back into her bed. "Fine, whatever you like. You never leave well enough alone."

Kanata jumped up from her bed and nodded. "That's what friends are for. I'll tag along as well."

Sonata pouted. "If you're going, I'll go."

"You still have all those letters to reply to," Kanata said. She reached up into Sonata's bunk and pinched her sister's cheek. "Write three replies before I'm back, okay? And do them properly."

Sonata sighed. "Okay..."

Kanata followed Nagisa out of the dormitory and into the corridor. "Right, let's go centre-hunting. Any ideas?"

"Let's try the showers first. It's just a shame, since I'm usually fine by myself," Nagisa said.

"I know you're Cherry's keeper, but I do my best to look after you all," Kanata said. She smiled when Nagisa blushed and stuttered. "I don't mean that in a bad way. When we first met, I didn't think anyone would be able to get close to her."

Nagisa looked down at the floor as they walked towards the showers. "She gave that impression, didn't she? She was cold."

"She was lonely and proud. I was the same," Kanata said. She pushed her shock of red bangs away from her eyes and smiled. "We've all come a long way since then."

"Yeah.," Nagisa said. "It all worked out in the end."

"More or less," Kanata said. She laughed as she lead the way down the corridor with her broad stride.

Nagisa did her best to keep up.

They eventually found Chieri's bag and clothes in the changing room. "Here we go again," Kanata said. "How many times have I told her?"

"I'm sorry," Nagisa said.

"Don't be silly. It's not your fault," Kanata said.

Chieri was alone in the Flying Get's practise room. The mirrors lining the walls scattered her face across the room as she sang and danced with her sleek headphones clamped around her ears. Her jade kirara bounced around her and bumped repeatedly into Chieri's neck. Nagisa watched from the door-way behind Chieri and blinked. The dance was undoubtedly 'Kibou ni tsuite' but Chieri's movements were jagged and incomplete, her limbs never quite reaching the full extent of the dance. Her voice was strained and harsh. When Nagisa circled Chieri and approached from the side in respectful silence, her eyes widened. The harsh light bleeding from the strips in the ceiling reflected off the pallid sheen of sweat coating Chieri's face. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath between lines and her head was slightly bowed. A slight movement of her eyes was the only sign she'd noticed the other two girls come in.

Kanata reached out and caught Chieri's arm. "What are you doing?"

Chieri pulled her headphones down to her neck and glared at Kanata. "What do you think? I'm practising."

"We finished practising hours ago. You'll hurt yourself," Kanata said.

"I'll be fine," Chieri said. She mopped her brow with the sleeve of her tight practice clothes. The blue fabric was already stained with sweat.

"You don't know that. After a certain point, additional practice does more harm than good," Kanata said. "We only let you work as hard as you do because Ushiyama and Takamina are keeping an eye on you."

Nagisa caught Chieri's eye and smiled. "Let's head back."

Chieri held her gaze for a moment then looked away. "Just leave me alone. There's no time."

Kanata gritted her teeth and stepped forwards. "Stop being irresponsible. If you injure yourself before the show, you'll cause everyone trouble."

"I'm not someone like you who can afford to dawdle. I need to be better than everyone else right now," Chieri said. Her brow creased with tension as she stared at Kanata.

"I never asked to kick my heels while you got promoted. I've done what you're doing a hundred times," Kanata snapped back. She blinked at the sound of her own voice and took a step back.

Nagisa raised her hands and stepped between the two of them. "Let's just calm down, okay? Everyone's tired."

"What's all the noise about? It's a regular party in here." Takamina stood in the doorway and smiled as the other girls turned to face her.

Kanata blanched and slid her hands behind her back. "Takamina…"

Chieri rubbed her forehead as she caught her breath.

Takamina shrugged. "Well, whatever. Chieri, I've been looking for you. We need to go over our plans for the recording this week, but we've been stuck without you."

"I'm sorry," Chieri said. "I didn't know."

"It's fine. Shower then head to our room," Takamina said. "Yuko's there too."

Chieri nodded at the others then swept out. Her kirara bounced after her.

Takamina sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "So what's up?"

"She's overdoing it. She's being stubborn with me, but maybe if you say something, she'll listen," Kanata said.

"Don't worry, I'll have a word with her later. But for now it's best if we let her cool her head," Takamina said. She moved to join the other two in the mirrored room.

"I don't get it. She's being pushed to the moon and she's performing fine in practice. Just what does Chieri have to prove?" Kanata said.

"Is she really practising just to get better?" Takamina said.

Kanata blinked. "That's the only reason to practice, right?"

"Maybe you're right. But I think she's just trying to distract herself," Takamina said. She held Kanata's gaze and smiled. "I've had times like that."

"I shouldn't have let her take off by herself," Nagisa said.

"Don't worry about it. We just have to make sure we keep her busy, that's all," Takamina said.

"Roger that," Kanata said. She put a hand on her hip and sighed. "Honestly, Nagisa, you two are no end of trouble."

Nagisa laughed. "Sorry about that."

Since rank had its privileges, the Successors had their own rooms on the Katyusha, but right now they were all crammed into a dormitory just like the understudies. Someone had taped a battered poster of the 13th Acchan to the wall, while a round table had been bolted to the floor in the middle of the room with a few scattered cushions surrounding it. Nagisa's first impression was that the Successors were just as messy as the understudies were. Yuko sat up in her top bunk and looked down at Nagisa. "Where's Chieri?"

"She'll be here in a bit. Just finding her was a pain, you know," Takamina said.

"I was sure it'd be the stage, but never mind," Yuko said.

"You need to give us fair warning. No one said anything at dinner," Nagisa said. She sat down on one of the cushions and put her hands on her knees.

"That's because Takamina decided on this after dinner," Yuko said. She jumped from her bunk to the ground in a single bound and scrambled up to settle down on the other side of the table.

Nagisa blinked. "Really?"

"Admittedly, yes," Takamina said. She sat down next to Yuko.

"I know it looks like everything's carefully planned, but half the time Tsubasa and Takamina are making things up as we go," Kojiharu said. She reclined gracefully on her bunk beneath Yuko's bed and browsed fashion blogs on her phone. "Which is for the best, of course."

"Don't just tell her that. I'm like a swan or something," Takamina said.

"Aren't swans tall and graceful?" Yuko said.

Takamina punched her in the shoulder. "That was uncalled for."

Nagisa chatted with the Successors for a few minutes while waiting for Chieri to arrive. It wasn't so long ago that they'd been distant and awe-inspiring, even after she'd joined 00, but practising alongside them had broken down those walls and showed her a more prosaic reality. Though they were older and more experienced, the Successors were still just young women at heart, with their own flaws and eccentricities. Mariko being there helped put her at her ease as well.

Chieri swept in and sat down next to Nagisa. "Good evening."

Nagisa looked sidelong at her. "You didn't dry your hair properly."

Chieri rubbed her damp her self-consciously. "I was in a hurry."

"Don't worry. This won't take long," Takamina said. She pulled out her phone and projected a programme schedule. "For this week's recording, we're doing 'shoujiki shougi' again. Nagisa and Cherry is one of the most requested match-ups, so Tsubasa wants us to go with that this week to build towards your concert. We'll need your questions submitted the day before the recording."

"Understood," Chieri said.

"That's the game where we ask each other personal questions, right?" Nagisa said. "I don't like that one."

"It's actually pretty fun when you actually do it," Yuko said. "Don't worry about it."

"But what if I say something that really offends Chieri?" Nagisa said. "It just seems nasty."

"Don't worry about me." Chieri looked across the table at Nagisa. "I'd like to think we're close enough that a game won't damage our relationship."

Nagisa held her gaze and sighed. "I know. But I still find it kind of uncomfortable."

"It's fine to tease your friends," Mariko said. She watched them while she sat on her bed and smiled brightly. "And if you're close to someone, there are often things you can't easily talk about. Be positive and think of this a chance to ask those questions."

"Have you played this game with Kanata?" Chieri asked.

"We did. I had a lot of fun," Mariko said.

"It's a famous match. A good example of how that game's best done, actually," Takamina said.

"I'll be sure to look it up," Chieri said.

Yukirin and Tomochin returned to the dormitory carrying trays of rice-balls. "We brought snacks," Yukirin said. She placed her tray on the table in the middle of the room.

Mayuyu rolled out of her bed and shot across the room with inhuman speed. She balanced two-thirds of Yukirin's rice-balls on her arms and retreated back to her bed. "Thanks."

"Any time," Yukirin said.

The other Successors took turns to grab rice balls from the trays. Chieri took one of the last remaining ones. "Thank you."

"Think nothing of it. This is also part of my training," Tomochin said. She sat down next to Takamina and picked up one to eat herself.

"I'll send you both some general guidelines after this, and obviously, you can ask if you need help," Takamina said. "The best advice I can give you is that it's best to be bold. People enjoy searching questions."

"Just relax and have fun with it," Yuko said. She bit her rice-ball in half and chewed. "It'll be fine!"

"Don't speak with your mouth full," Kojiharu said.

Nagisa glanced at Chieri. Whether she liked it or hated it, she'd just have to go through with it, but it still made her nervous.

"The other change is that we're trying out Mikako as presenter this week," Takamina said. "I think we're all familiar with her personality and sense of humour, so it should be fine. Well, probably."

"Mikako? Like, 'Mii-chan' Mikako?" Yuko said.

"She betrayed us once. Just why are we giving her a job like that?" Sae asked.

"It's something Tsubasa decided," Takamina said.

"That sounds like Tsubasa," Yuko said.

"If we have a complaint, we should just tell Tsubasa that," Sayaka said. "If not, there's no point in grousing amongst ourselves."

Yuko smiled. "Chieri, what do you think?"

Chieri frowned and brought her hands together. "I don't mind. I think she's suited to be a presenter and deserves a second chance. What happened to Akibastar was terrible, but, well." She looked around the room at the others. "If you resent anyone, you should resent my father. Mikako was just someone he used as part of his plan."

"I agree. I'm sure that even though she was mistaken, she meant the best for AKB0048. Above all, she was once the Centre Nova, and my sister's friend," Tomochin said. "I want to believe in her."

"Yeah. I was an understudy when she ruled the stage," Takamina said. "She was clumsy, but we all looked up to her." Her hand curled into a fist. "I haven't forgiven her, but she's still one of us."

Nagisa nodded. "I'm sure Miss Tsubasa knows what she's doing." She didn't know Mikako that well, but she knew Chieri was fond of the older woman.

The others glanced at each other and shrugged. "So that's that," Mayuyu said, summing up the sentiment of the room.

"Well, we're all professionals. The show goes on, whoever the presenter is," Sayaka said.

"Of course," Takamina said. She focused on Nagisa and Chieri. "Well, that's how it is. Apart from your game, we'll be recording some games between us Successors for future use and some other segments, but it's basically business as usual."

Chieri nodded. "And after that, it's just work and practise until the concert, correct?"

"Not quite," Takamina said. She glanced at Tomochin.

"On Thursday, you're both cordially invited to my family's house for the night," Tomochin said. "I've told them a lot about your both and they're excited to meet you in person."

Chieri focused on Tomochin and frowned. "That sounds wonderful. I assume Tsubasa's agreed to this?"

"Of course. We made the arrangements some time ago," Tomochin said.

"I understand," Chieri said. "I'll look forwards to it."

"Definitely," Nagisa said. "Yuka and Orine said it was a lot of fun when they visited."

"I'm glad to hear that," Tomochin said.

Kojiharu lay on her front and rested her chin on her forearms. "When I think about it, the 13th Acchan visited the Itano family before her title was confirmed. Is this another one of your traditions?"

"It's nothing so dramatic. It's like record-keeping," Tomochin said.

"I see. I'll drop by myself before we take off again, but do say hi to Tomoka for me," Kojiharu said.

Tomochin smiled. "I'll make sure to do so."

Once they'd finished eating and talking, Nagisa and Chieri headed back to their dormitory and struggled to come up with questions for each other. Thinking of ways to expose someone else's weaknesses wasn't something that came easily to Nagisa, even if she knew Chieri better than anyone else. It didn't help that she had to fight constantly to make sure a curious Sonata couldn't see her questions. Chieri lay back in the bunk above her and typed steadily on her phone as she hashed out her own questions for Nagisa.

As night proper fell, Kanata chivvied everyone towards bed and bounced around the room to check on everyone. "Two more minutes, okay, that's all. We have a full schedule tomorrow as well."

Chieri crawled across her bunk and stowed her phone in the bag sitting at the foot of her bed. She looked down at Kanata and frowned as the older girl passed. "I'm sorry about earlier."

Kanata waved her away. "Don't sweat it. Sleep well, okay?"

"Good night." Chieri slipped beneath the covers of her duvet and closed her eyes.

Nagisa tried to stare through the bunk above her.

* * *

Their usual set had been another thing DES had made a point to destroy, so they'd had to borrow another set more normally used for a quiz show. The design was even more haphazard than usual. Nagisa still hadn't become accustomed to broadcast work. The set was deliberately incomplete, so she always felt like she was sitting around in some kind of show-room or a half-finished house. In this case, she felt even more exposed than usual, since she was away from the comforting safety of the tiered benches with the others. Nagisa knelt on a cushion and rubbed her legs as she waited for the shooting to start. She hated kneeling.

Chieri knelt on the cushion opposite Nagisa. "Are you okay?"

"I'll manage," Nagisa said.

They both snapped to attention as the director counted down. The other girls gathered in the stands behind them sat up and smiled.

"Hihi, this is Mikako Minamino," Mikako said. She sat in the middle of a low table just behind the two girls. "Today we'll be playing another game from the ancientway orldway."

That was another way filming irritated Nagisa. They hadn't recorded Mikako's introductory sequence yet, though on the live show that would come before this segment. She still had no idea what Mikako's style on-camera would actually be like.

Tomochin stood and smiled at the camera. She wore a floral kimono and her hair was pinned back into a bun. "This is a tradition passed down in the Itano family. I will now read from the scrolls." She bowed to the camera and pulled a green scroll from her sleeve. "Shoujiki Shougi is a game where each participant answers a question devised by their opponent. They attempt to catch their opponent in a lie using a lie detector. It is a truly terrifying psychological game."

"As idols and as women, all these girls have lies they don't want exposed," Mikako said.

"You're one to talk," Yuko said. She sat next to Mikako and grinned as the others laughed.

"Show some respect for your elders," Mikako said. "In any case, our black player is a kind girl who hates competition. The thirteen year-old peace-maker, Nagisa Motomiya!"

Nagisa smiled at the camera then bowed her head to Chieri.

"And our white player who loves Russian tea and hates to lose, the thirteen year-old princess from Sagitarriusstar, Chieri Sono!" Mikako said.

Chieri folded her hands together neatly and bowed to Nagisa.

"Yuko is here to provide insight into the players," Mikako said.

"Yo." Yuko waved at the camera. "This'll be really interesting, I think. Nagisa and Chieri are joined at the hip, so they have to know each other's hidden weaknesses."

"Would you two agree with that?" Mikako said.

Chieri nodded. "I don't know about 'joined at the hip', but we're best friends. I'm worried about just how serious I should be in this match."

Mikako laughed. "So you're confident, then? If you're completely serious."

"Yes," Chieri said.

"That's scary," Nagisa said. "But I'm going to do my best as well."

"That's right. You two should play to win. If you're best friends, you'll forgive each other afterwards," Mikako said. "Obablypray."

"That's not reassuring at all," Nagisa said. She was used to playing along with other people, like everyone else who knew Sonata.

Mikako turned and gestured to the severe-looking man in a white coat sitting next to her. "Also with us is a Tsukuba Foundation representative, Dr Tsukino."

He nodded and put a hand on one of the two black boxes placed in front of him. They were linked to monitors graphing a wavy line onto a table. "Both girls are connected to these lie detectors. They're 99.99999% accurate, so if the line on the display crosses the critical point, we can be confident they're lying."

"I see. How reliable," Mikako said.

"Couldn't you make it a little more unreliable?" Chieri said.

"Onay ayway," Mikako said. "Now, let's review the questions they've prepared."

Nagisa's questions were displayed clearly on the screen in front of her. She'd spent hours agonising over them and even now they worried her.

Yuko whistled. "These are pretty harsh." There was a murmur of agreement from the other girls sitting behind her.

"Seriously," Mikako said. "So much for kindness!"

"This sounds interesting," Chieri said.

"I'm up against Chieri, you know," Nagisa said. "If I try to be nice, I won't stand a chance."

"It should come as no surprise, but I'm interested in numbers two and nine," Yuko said.

"I see where this is going," Chieri said.

"Number eight is interesting, as well," Mikako said. "I could believe that."

Yuko nodded. "Yeah, that's probably true."

"And these are Chieri's questions," Mikako said.

Nagisa glanced at the other members as they reacted to the questions appearing on their screens. Kojiharu put a hand over her mouth to cover her smirk, while Sayaka laughed out loud.

"Number six can't be true, surely?" Yuko said. "But if it was, yeah, that'd hurt."

"I'm curious about that one as well," Mikako said. "How about number one?"

"It's cute. I guess even Chieri has worries," Yuko said.

"What does that mean?" Nagisa said.

"Oh, don't worry about that one. Number ten's the one that will get you," Yuko said.

"True. Then let's begin with our black player, Nagisa," Mikako said.

Nagisa double checked the list in front of her. "It's hard to choose. Um, yeah, let's go with something safe for now." She took a shougi piece marked eight from the rack of pieces in front of her and placed it on the middle of the table.

"Number eight right from the start," Mikako said. "She really isn't holding back."

"Yeah, this should be good," Yuko said.

Nagisa took a breath as Chieri stared her down. "Frankly, rather than working with others, you prefer to work alone." She spoke clearly and calmly and managed to return Chieri's stare.

"No," Chieri said.

The other members watched and hummed as the line darted back and forth, then erupted in hoots and laughter as it briefly shot past the red line running across the top of the screen. "Strike!" Mikako said. "One point to black."

Chieri put her hands over her mouth and looked down briefly. "Really? I don't think that."

"Why did you ask this, Nagisa?" Mikako asked.

"Um, well, around the time of the election Chieri did a lot of solo work, but when I did see her she was unexpectedly cheerful," Nagisa said. "And even now, from time to time she'll sort of vanish and practice alone or just sing by herself. So I was wondering."

"It's not that I prefer to work alone, but in 00, we're always together. There's not much privacy because we're on the Flying Get and so on," Chieri said. "So just for balance, yes, I do like work where I can have some time to collect my thoughts."

"Mii-chan once told me that the Centre Nova should be comfortable with solitude," Yuko said. "So in a weird way, isn't this a good thing?"

"Call me Mikako, okay, Mikako," Mikako said. "But it's true Cherry is good at solo work. Now, then. It's her turn."

Nagisa gripped her knees tightly and watched Chieri. Having to ask a question was bad enough, but trying to anticipate what Chieri would ask was far worse. When Chieri glanced at her, she belatedly remembered to take her piece off the chessboard.

Chieri ran a finger over the pieces before her. "Let's see... well, I've already lost a point, so I'll go with this." She placed a piece in the centre of the board.

"Number two. If it's true, it's dangerous," Mikako said.

"Well, I don't have a problem with it, but I guess Nagisa has a gentler image than I do," Yuko said.

"Go ahead," Mikako said.

Chieri nodded. "Though you're considered unassuming, the truth is you're aiming for Takamina's position in concerts."

Nagisa blushed. "No."

The hum in the audience rose and erupted as the line wavered before shooting straight past the critical point. "Strike! One point to white!" Mikako said.

Nagisa blanched. "Seriously..."

Takamina laughed. "It's fine, isn't it? The young ones should be like this, or I'll never get to graduate, you know."

"Yes. I'm not saying it's a bad thing," Chieri said. "But Nagisa's been very fired up in training recently, and I just felt she had to have a goal in mind."

Nagisa put her hands over her mouth and looked at Chieri. "It's not like that. It's just, um, when we were understudies, it got to the point where I expected to dance right next to Chieri all the time, which is something I'm comfortable with. I just want to get back to that."

"That's the same thing, you know," Mikako said. "You're still saying you want to be right at the front, even if it means pushing someone else aside."

"Yes. I'm sorry," Nagisa said. Her cheeks burned.

"One point each. This match is already heating up," Mikako said. "Go ahead, Nagisa."

Nagisa hesitated for a moment, then placed her first piece in front of Chieri. If they had to do this unpleasant game either way, she might as well ask things that had been bothering her. Besides, she had confidence in this one. "You say you'd be honoured to succeed to any name, but honestly, you think you're more suited to Atsuko Maeda's name than Nagisa Motomiya."

"No." Chieri laced her fingers together and smiled. The others murmured as the line shot upwards and twitched just beneath the critical point before falling down again.

"Safe! No point scored," Mikako said. "Why did you ask, Nagisa?"

Nagisa sighed. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or upset. "Recently, there was a lot of speculation about Chieri's name, and 'Acchan' came up a lot. Since it's the name of the first fixed centre, I thought it suited her, and I wondered if she thought the same way."

"The comparison was flattering, but I didn't agree, even at the time. I think Nagisa will make a great Atsuko, and I don't think that name would suit me," Chieri said.

"Well, this is all very sweet," Mikako said. "But you make Chieri sound very presumptuous, Nagisa."

"That's not what I meant," Nagisa said.

"For good friends, these two are really territorial," Yuko said.

"So it would seem. Their rivalry isn't just for show," Mikako said. "In any case, it's Chieri's turn."

Chieri reached out and selected a piece without hesitation. "Here." She placed her sixth piece on the board.

"Yeah, here we go," Yuko said.

"If Nagisa fails, this will haunt her," Mikako said.

"You people aren't helping," Nagisa said. She stared at Chieri and tried to calm herself down. It was the wrong time to think this, but Chieri really glowed when she was competing with someone.

"Go ahead," Mikako said.

Chieri leaned forwards slightly. "You've never cooked or cleaned anything in your life."

Nagisa blinked and put her hand over her mouth. That question was so unexpected she was caught completely flat-footed. "No."

"And the scanner... it's gone!" Mikako shouted. The room erupted with laughter. "Strike, one point to white! I don't know what to say here, seriously."

"I thought so!" Chieri said. "I get teased a lot about being a princess-type character, but I've always thought Nagisa came across as being really sheltered as well."

"So you wanted to prove she's not so different from you?" Mikako said.

"Yes. That's exactly it," Chieri said.

Nagisa blushed. "I guess you're more sensitive about that than I thought."

"So she's right, then?" Yuko said.

"I was really young until I got here, and our food is provided here," Nagisa said. "Besides, that's true of Chieri as well, right?"

"No comment," Chieri said.

"So all she's saying is that I'm as bad as she is," Nagisa said. She glanced at Chieri and hesitated. Perhaps she'd gone too far.

"She's saying she's lonely, basically," Yuko said. "Now you can be pampered girls together."

"Or they could learn to cook!" Yuka shouted from the gallery. "I mean, seriously, even I can do an omelette or something."

"I'll pass. That sounds like a pain," Chieri said.

"You're only reinforcing that princess character you're complaining about, you know," Mikako said. "But I guess it's too late to do anything about that. Chieri is one away from victory. Nagisa, your move."

"Yes." Nagisa reached for her pieces then froze. Her body felt cold. Even if she scored a point here, Chieri would probably finish it with her next question. It wouldn't be the first time she'd lost to Chieri. Her friend had always been talented. But she'd always wanted to keep pace with that talented girl.

Chieri smiled and put her hand on the chessboard between them. "Your eyes are scary, you know."

"Really?" Nagisa smiled and balled her fingers into a fist. It was probably okay to feel that way. Chieri would accept that side of her. She placed her fifth piece on the chessboard.

"Here we go. This is really harsh," Mikako said.

"Like, shouldn't we stop this? This is bad for their friendship," Yuko said.

"We've come too far to turn back now. Go ahead, Nagisa," Mikako said.

Nagisa held Chieri's gaze again. "You think of yourself as the most beautiful girl in the 77th Generation."

Chieri blinked. "No."

Nagisa focused in Chieri. Just listening to the excited hum of the others was enough to trace the line without looking. "You're the most beautiful one," she repeated, enunciating every word.

"Strike! A point to black!" Mikako shouted.

"I don't think that, seriously!" Chieri said. "I definitely don't think that! This is slander."

"That's not what the machine said!" Mikako said. "Doctor, what are the odds of detecting their lies?"

Dr Tsukino coughed. "99.99999%."

Chieri spared a moment to glare at him.

"So what's this about, Chieri? Aren't you being rude to the others?" Mikako said.

"I think there are lots of different ways to be appealing in 00. I'm not the cutest girl or the funniest girl or the most athletic girl in my generation, but sometimes people say I'm pretty, which makes me very happy, so I try my best to live up to that expectation," Chieri said. "I always have to present myself neatly and smile, so I guess I'm conscious of it because I'm making that kind of effort."

"We're all doing our best to be pretty, you know. Orine spends hours in front of the mirror on a concert day," Yuka said.

"Don't mention that!" Orine said. "And I don't spend _hours_, you're exaggerating."

"Really?" Yuka said.

"So, Nagisa, who do you think is the most beautiful girl in your generation?" Yuko said.

Nagisa blinked. "Um, Chieri, I guess?"

"Oh, don't you start," Yuka said.

Nagisa waved her hands and glanced at Chieri. "It's like a genre thing."

Chieri blushed. "Thank you. But why is okay for you to think that but not me?"

"Isn't that common-sense?" Mikako said. "Anyway, they're tied at two points. Chieri, it's your move. This could be the end for Nagisa."

Chieri smiled and took a piece from her tray. "I'm glad Nagisa's making this interesting, but I still want to play around a little." She placed number eight on the board.

"Here comes the wild-card," Mikako said. "Go ahead."

Chieri pressed her palms together and looked at Nagisa over her long white fingers. "You're happy to sing love songs, but you're still too young to be interested in love."

Nagisa laughed. "No."

The line danced briefly before settling down again. "She's safe. No point scored," Mikako said.

"I don't get it," Nagisa said. "We're the same age, after all."

"There was reasoning behind this. We're close friends, but I've never heard Nagisa talk about boys. Not even once," Chieri said. "Just what is your type, anyway?"

Nagisa twisted a lock of hair between her fingers. "Um, someone like you, I guess." She blushed as the others laughed and whistled. "That's not what I mean! I really hate fighting, so I like being around someone like Chieri, who stays strong even when we're in a crisis."

Chieri looked away. "You're exaggerating."

"And this is why I ship this airingpay! It's the gift that keeps on giving," Mikako said.

Yuko punched Mikako in the shoulder. "Leave them alone, you old pervert."

Mikako rubbed her shoulder and smiled. "Either way, we're still 2-2. This is your chance to win, Nagisa."

"Yes. I'll do my best." Nagisa held Chieri's gaze. She wanted to win, so she'd make this arrow count. She took her tenth piece and slid it across the chessboard.

Mikako smiled. "I see. Go ahead."

Nagisa took a breath then spoke. "You say Nagisa Motomiya is your rival, but you don't think she's any match for you."

Chieri placed her hands on her knees. "No."

"And the line rises!" Mikako said. The others breathed in as they watched it dance up and down. "Up, down, up again... will it cross?" She took a breath. "No! She's safe. No point scored."

Nagisa slumped back and gripped the cushion she was kneeling on with her fingers. Once again, she had mixed feelings about this.

"When I was just starting out, Nagisa was the one who could make my kirara shine," Chieri said. "She doesn't realise it herself, but she's skilled and hard-working. I work hard every day because I know if I slack off, she'll shoot right past me."

"I can second that," Yuko said. "You should be really careful, Takamina."

Takamina laughed and waved her hand. "Don't worry. I know that as well as you do."

"How does Takamina's name always come up? Regardless, the game is still tied at 2-2," Mikako said. "You don't see close matches like this every day."

"It's been fun. But this is the final blow," Chieri said. She took her tenth piece and dropped it in the centre of the board.

Nagisa folded her hands together. All she had to do was stay calm and get through one more question. If she could just hold out, number two or number seven should definitely end the game on her turn. Number six might be even safer, though it would be an anticlimax. But either way, she still had plenty of good questions. If Chieri's last question was representative, her friend had to be running out.

Chieri met Nagisa's gaze. "You say you hate competition, but actually you just hate losing."

Nagisa blinked. "No," she said. She spoke without thinking and then tried to stop thinking at all, but it was too late.

"Strike! Chieri wins!" Mikako said.

Nagisa crumpled forwards and put her hands over her mouth. She hadn't seen that question coming, either. But when she thought about, just why had she cared so much about a silly game like this?

"I thought so. Nagisa's 'I will also shine!' is famous, but making a huge declaration in the middle of a concert like that is impossible unless you feel really strongly about it," Chieri said. "And as she showed with her question just now, she values her rivalry with me. So I thought this would work."

"I mean, yes, I hate losing, but I don't like to see other people losing either," Nagisa said. "I find that really hard, so that's why I dislike competition. I'm not just a sore loser, seriously."

"You say that, but we've already proved you're aiming for Takamina," Mikako said. "Maybe we need a new nickname for you."

"These two are scary, seriously," Yuko said. "Right, Takamina?"

"I know what you mean," Takamina said. "Man, it's good to be young, you know?"

"I feel like I can't win here, whatever I say," Nagisa said.

Chieri smiled. "Well, let's just do our best."

Tsubasa clapped her hands and spoke up from outside the set. "Cut. That will do for now."

Nagisa stood up and rubbed the back of her legs. "My knees hurt."

Chieri unfolded her legs and began to stretch them. "Yes, I'm not used to it either."

"That was ridiculous," Yuko said. "You two were really going at it."

"Chieri was one thing, but you were surprisingly harsh, Nagisa," Mikako said.

"We'll get a better reaction if we're hard on each other, right?" Nagisa said. "I thought Chieri would get angry if I asked feeble questions."

"Luckily you were in no danger of doing that," Chieri said. "Number five was harsh."

"I don't want to hear that from you after two and six. You were going all-out from the start," Nagisa said.

The staff watching from the messy edges of the set milled around as Tsubasa bounced between them and discussed several technical questions. 00's members relaxed and began to talk amongst themselves. Nagisa stretched and rubbed the back of her neck. She didn't really know how to feel about that final question.

Chieri prodded Nagisa in the stomach. "We should schedule that talk about romance. I'm really curious about your tastes."

"We're idols, you know," Nagisa said. "Even thinking about it's a waste of time."

"I enjoy wasting time with you," Chieri said. She waved and made for Tomochin. "That kimono really suits you."

"Thank you," Tomochin said. "This is a design I picked out myself. I'm quite taken with it."

"The floral design is beautiful. It really emphasises your femininity," Chieri said. "I wonder if a kimono would suit me. I've never worn one before."

Tomochin smiled. "Are you interested? I'm sure I could find designs that would suit you."

Nagisa glanced over her shoulder at Chieri and smiled. That was exactly it. If Chieri saw something she liked, she's work out a way to make it hers. Nagisa didn't always feel that strongly about things, but she'd changed, after all. She wanted to join 00 so badly. That had been her first experience with a desire that gripped her body like a vice and made standing still even more painful than fighting to reach her dream. And in the aftermath of that, she'd been reunited with Chieri, and felt another fierce desire. To emulate her, or just to keep up with her, or maybe even to exceed her; whatever it was, she'd wanted to change herself as a result.

Yuko jumped over the low table between them. "Good work. That looked tiring."

Nagisa fanned herself with her hand. "That's because it was. My head's spinning."

Yuko laughed. "The fans will love it."

They chatted for a few more minutes until Tsubasa turned to them and folded her arms. "Yuko, Kojima, you're both up next. Takamina, you're providing commentary."

"Right, let's do this," Yuko said. She sat on a cushion in front of the chessboard and folded her legs.

"Good luck," Nagisa said. She waved at Yuko and clambered up into the silver metal stands. After a few moments of chaos, she was placed in the middle tier of seating next to Yuka and Orine.

Chieri ended up between Sayaka and Mariko on the top layer, a space reserved for the tallest members. "How many more of these are we doing today?" she asked.

"Three more, if Takamina's right," Sayaka said.

Chieri sighed. "Broadcasting is hard work."

"Three, two, one, start," Tsubasa said.

Chieri sat up straight and folded her hands in her lap as she smiled in the direction of the camera. Nagisa craned her neck to glance briefly at her friend then turned to face the camera herself. That was another thing she could have turned into a good question.

After they finally finished recording, they made for the canteen and ate dinner together. New shipments of food had finally arrived, so Chef Papa lavished them with a huge dinner and the girls devoured it happily. Mayuyu ate enough for three people while Yukirin watched her indulgently. Sayaka ate fast then marched down the table and forced Makoto to finish her steak. Nagisa and Chieri ate with Yuko and Takamina. Nagisa hung on Takamina's every word and asked her advice about variety shows. It was helpful, but she was mostly guilty about what Chieri had made her say earlier. Takamina was such a good person, through and through, which made it even worse. Megumi and her group finished eating first and left together. Sae and Sayaka left soon afterwards, shortly followed by most of the 77th generation. Kanata headed for Takamina. Seeing that, Chieri stood up. "Shall we go?" she said to Nagisa.

"In a minute," Nagisa said. She moved around the table and stopped next to Tomochin. "Um, could I talk to you about something?"

"Of course," Tomochin said.

"When we visit, do you have any kimono we could borrow?" Nagisa said. "I'd kind of like to wear one for a change."

"Of course. We have quite the collection," Tomochin said. She put down her dessert spoon and looked at the two girls. "What would suit you two, I wonder?"

"Thank you," Nagisa said. Now Chieri would have something else to look forwards to.

"They're cute, so anything's fine, right?" Yuko said from across the table.

"You don't get it, Yuko," Kojiharu said. "But if you're doing this, why not make an occasion of it? I'm sure there are people who want to see photos of you two dressed up."

"Now there's an interesting idea," Tomochin said.

"I'd be interested in that, if it's not too much trouble," Chieri said.

Nagisa blinked. She'd meant for this to be another way for Chieri to relax, but it had abruptly become work instead. "Chieri is one thing, but I'm still not experienced with photo-shoots."

"Don't worry," Chieri said. "I'll be there to help you. And let's get Mikako for the photographer. She's excellent."

"Indeed. Let me think," Tomochin said. She looked down at the table. "That could be interesting, actually. I'll ask Tsubasa if you both can come over a few hours early. I'm sure she won't mind as long as we make up the lost practice time early in the morning. Could you two ask Mikako if she wants to be the photographer?"

"Of course," Chieri said. "But you know her better than me, don't you?"

"That's true, but you two are her big new thing right now," Tomochin said. "Well, just ask. If you have any problems, let me know, and I'll see what I can do."

"I see," Chieri said.

Nagisa frowned. It felt like Tomochin wasn't telling them everything. "Is Mikako very busy right now?"

"She's busier than before, since Tsubasa's giving her new jobs," Tomochin said. "But she still should have time."

"Mikako will always make time for Chieri. And for me, come to that," Kojiharu said.

"That's good to know," Nagisa said. She probably didn't have to worry too much. Even if Tomochin was planning something, it would be for a good reason.

Chieri led the way through the Flying Get's cold corridors to approach Mikako. She'd been given one of the cramped rooms close to the hangars. Normally their engineers stayed in this section, but they were living in the city below to assist full-time with the reconstruction. After a few false starts, the two girls managed to find Mikako's room. It was sparse and clean; Mikako was still living out of her suitcase beneath her bed with the casual modesty of someone used to travelling across the galaxy at short notice.

Mikako sat on her bunk and listened to their request, then folded her arms and sighed. "Sorry, no can do."

"Why?" Chieri said.

"Don't misunderstand, I love photographing you. But the Itano family do things really formally and it isn't my scene," Mikako said.

"It'd only be for one evening," Chieri said.

"One evening is too long," Mikako said. "Don't worry. Just talk to Tsubasa, and she'll find someone else."

"I much prefer working with you," Chieri said. She leaned down and pressed Mikako's hand between her palms. "I understand your feelings, but could you do it as a favour to me? I'd really appreciate it."

Mikako grinned. "Orrysay, but that won't work on me. I used to be an idol, after all."

Chieri sighed. "I see. Well, it was worth a try." She straightened and ran a hand through her hair. "Nagisa, say something to her."

"I feel like you've said everything that can reasonably be said," Nagisa said. She studied Mikako. It was weird, though. Normally Mikako would jump at any chance to do a photoshoot. If she was in charge, they'd all just be glamour models.

"You're no help at all," Chieri said. She looked at Mikako. "For the record, I've talked to Tomochin about this. She had no problem with you visiting."

"She's a sweetie, but I cramp up when I kneel properly," Mikako said. "It's just one of those things."

They retreated into the corridor and walked back towards the centre of the ship. Chieri pouted. "She's definitely hiding something."

"Mm. Mikako is like that," Nagisa said. "Tomochin's hiding something as well, though. It was like she knew we'd be rejected."

Chieri ran a hand over the cold wall as she walked along. "You're right, of course. But as far as Mikako goes, it's probably her guilt over the invasion. We're all doing our best to be kind to her, so when she's distant like this, it's a pain for us."

Nagisa frowned. "Is that really it?"

"What else could it be? This has nothing to do with formality or whatever," Chieri said.

Nagisa stopped in the middle of the corridor and wrinkled her brow. "Tomochin has a sister, doesn't she? That girl probably performed with Mikako, right?"

Chieri snapped her fingers. "Probably. Let's find out."

When they slipped into the dormitory, it was mostly empty. But Suzuko was watching an old 00 variety show with Makoto. Chieri approached them and smiled. "Did Tomochin's older sister know Mii-chan?"

"Yes. She was younger than Mii-chan, but they performed in the same era," Suzuko said. "Though she continued after Mii-chan graduated and performed with the 13th Acchan too."

Makoto leaned sideways. "Why the sudden interest?"

"We want to do a photoshoot with Mii-chan at Tomochin's house, but she's refusing," Chieri said. "Nagisa wondered if this might be a reason."

"You two are keeping busy even though the concert's close now," Makoto said. She put her arms over her head and closed her eyes. "Whereas I'm free every day. Our worlds are different, after all."

"This was my idea. It's just for fun, really," Nagisa said.

Suzuko frowned. "I don't like to speculate, but since you're asking, Mii-chan's graduation was sudden and unannounced. It really was as if she'd disappeared. Even if the other members knew she was alive, a graduation like that might be very difficult for the dutiful Itano family to accept."

"Do you think that Tomochin would be angry?" Chieri said.

"I don't know. Only the people involved know the truth," Suzuko said.

"Don't ignore me!" Makoto said.

Chieri smiled. "You did well in today's recording. Your segment was hilarious."

Suzuko nodded. "I've been telling her she has a talent for variety shows."

"I looked like a complete idiot!" Makoto said.

"Exactly. Idiocy is the essence of comedy," Suzuko said.

"I think it's good to be funny. I was jealous," Nagisa said.

"I wasn't trying to be funny, seriously," Makoto said.

"Speaking of that, what was Mii-chan like when she performed?" Chieri said. "She's always clowning around now, so I find it hard to picture her as the Centre Nova, even though she's beautiful."

Suzuko pushed her glasses up her nose. "Do you want to see?"

"I'm interested," Nagisa said.

Chieri hesitated. "We still need to sort out this business with Mikako."

Nagisa looked at Chieri and pressed her lips against her arched fingers. "Pretty please?"

Chieri shrugged. "Well, I suppose I can study some footage for a while."

Nagisa hid her smile behind her hand. Chieri wasn't the only one who could play cute to get her way.

Suzuko brought up footage of some of Mikako's most famous concerts. She'd changed much less than Nagisa had imagined. She wasn't anything like the 13th Acchan, either. Her banter with other members and the audience often fell flat. Her dancing was often less polished than the members standing on either side of her. But she never stopped smiling, and she brought a frantic intensity to all her performances. She wasn't afraid to laugh at herself and she wasn't afraid to throw herself forwards and lead the others. They laughed with her, supported her, and followed her. The shape was different from Acchan's grace, but Mii-chan also had the charisma to dominate the stage. One more thing struck Nagisa, as well. The 10th Tomoyo stayed by her side, and whenever Mii-chan fumbled a joke, she'd turn to Tomochin for help. The younger girl would always smile and play along gracefully.

"I'm sure they must have been friends, after all," Chieri said.

"The fans from that era believed so," Suzuko said. "Mii-chan was far more popular, but Tomochin was much more reliable. They were a team."

"So a screw-up can become Centre Nova," Makoto said. "It's actually kind of amazing."

"There are all kinds of Centre Nova in 00's past," Suzuko said.

Chieri scrambled up the ladder and sat on her bed as she pulled out her phone. "Well, I'll call Tomochin. I want to learn what she knows, and I'm pretty sure she has something in mind anyway."

"I wonder if this is something we shouldn't touch," Nagisa said.

"Tomochin has already dragged us into this," Chieri said.

"I suppose. Just be careful." Nagisa read some letters from her fans while she waited for Chieri to finish. She still found it a little embarrassing to butt into other people's affairs, but Chieri had no such inhibitions. Maybe it was just because it was Mikako. It was hard to take Mikako too seriously.

Chieri flattered and chided Tomochin for a few minutes then said her good-byes and put her phone on top of the bed. "Suzuko, you're a genius."

"I've just studied 00. It's a given for a fan," Suzuko said.

"Well, either way, you were right. Tomochin says she'll talk to her sister. The rest is up to the two of them," Chieri said.

"They're adults, aren't they? This all sounds kind of silly," Makoto said.

"Adults are proud. These things can happen as well," Suzuko said.

Nagisa put a hand behind her head and looked up at Chieri's bunk. She was reminded of her father, and Chieri's father as well. Adults were proud.

* * *

Tsubasa had given them permission for the photo-shoot without complaint, but there was no let-up in their work helping the people of Akibastar or the relentless strain of practising with both the Understudies and the Successors. It was a grueling schedule, but Nagisa drew comfort from the fact she could get through each day while still having the energy to chat and practice in the evening. When she'd been new, even half a day of practice had been enough to leave her rolling around on top of her bed in exhausted silence. Once they'd finally finished, she threw on casual clothes and waited for Chieri outside the dormitory.

Chieri eventually followed her out. She'd put on a frilly one-piece dress and a neat grey coat. Her eyebrows raised as she saw Nagisa. "Don't you have anything more girlish?"

Nagisa grinned and folded her arms. "This is my style. I'm the approachable one."

Chieri tugged the sleeve of Nagisa's bright long-sleeved jumper and pouted. "You're putting your attractive body to waste."

"We're going to Tomochin's house, you know," Nagisa said. "There's no one for you to seduce."

Chieri slung her back over her shoulder and set off for the hangar. "That's exactly it. The Itano have fashion in their blood, so they'll have high standards. I want to make a good impression."

"Why?" Nagisa asked.

"Just because. This is another competition between girls," Chieri said.

Tomochin was waiting for them in the hangar. She'd also dressed in vivid, fashionable clothes. "They said it's fine if we fly over."

"That's really helpful." Chieri looked around. "What about Mikako?"

"I'm here, I'm here. Just finishing pre-flight checks." Mikako appeared from behind the pyramidal head of one of their sleeping robots and slid down the arm. "Looking good. I'd expect no less from you three."

"Thank you," Chieri said.

"Chieri was bullying me about this," Nagisa said. She tugged her jumper.

"That's just fine. The gap between Chieri's ladylike fashion and your childish clothes is part of what makes Nagi x Chie so great," Mikako said.

Nagisa blinked. "Childish?"

"More importantly, this is all your fault, isn't it?" Mikako said to Chieri. She stepped forwards and punched her in the shoulder. "You put Tomoka up to this, didn't you?"

Chieri rubbed her arm and smiled. "I have the right to remain silent."

"What happened?" Nagisa asked.

"The 10th Tomochin called me out of nowhere and asked me to come. It's a pain, but we do go way back, so I can't say no," Mikako said. She rounded on Tomochin and tried to punch the older girl as well, but she darted away. "I know you were involved too. Pretty girls always have terrible personalities."

"My sister wanted to do it. I'm a third party," Tomochin said.

Nagisa smiled. For all her bluster, this was the happiest she'd seen Mikako in a long time.

They took off in two of 00's Guardian Angels and streaked across the evening sky. Nagisa relaxed and leaned against the curved frame of the cockpit as Chieri took the helm for the first time in a while. The city dome had been mostly repaired and simulated a dusky evening glow, with the 'sun' hanging low in the sky. The city beneath them was shining with lights. Shops and restaurants had reopened one by one and dozens of other buildings were bathed with spotlights as builders and drones worked through the evening to hasten the repair work. With resilient hearts and the support of their allies, Akibastar's people were reclaiming their city from the devastation of the occupation. Nagisa's contribution to that effort was insignificant, but she was still happy to be part of it.

The Itano house was a sprawling, walled Japanese-style mansion on the very edge of the city. There was no sign of damage to the aged wooden structure. Chieri banked and decelerated as bright spot-lights guided them down into an empty knoll of grass in the heart of the garden. They landed with a slight bump and walked aside as Mikako's LAS descended like an eagle and touched down gently next to them. Tomochin's sister waved vigorously at them as they clambered down. "That's my Mii-chan. You didn't bend a blade of grass."

Mikako put a hand on her hip. "I'm Mikako again, remember? If I called you Tomomi around here we'd have no end of confusion."

Tomoka laughed. "Okay. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. You haven't changed," Mikako said.

Chieri exchanged greetings with Tomochin's mother and took a box of chocolates from her bag. "Thank you for having us today. This isn't anything much, but please take it."

"Oh, you shouldn't have. Thank you," Tomochin's mother said.

"Yuka and Orine say hi," Nagisa said.

"I hope they're doing well. You've all had it very tough recently," Tomochin's mother said.

They exchanged a flurry of pleasantries as they walked back to the mansion itself. The entrance hall was paneled with dark wood. Nagisa crept along the corridor and stayed close to Chieri. It was completely different to Chieri's mansion, but it was just as incredible in its own way. She craned her neck as she tried to see through cracks in the paneled doors to the rooms beyond while Chieri chatted with Tomochin and her mother. The group settled into a waiting room and drank tea while Mikako vanished to prepare a studio using equipment they'd sent over the night before. After they'd finished, Tomochin and Tomoka led them to a dressing room and began to lay out bright kimono. A magnificent dressing table carved from blood-red wood and a gold-framed mirror perched incongruously on top of the straw mats on one side of the room. Nagisa beaded her brow. She didn't know much about the ancient world, but they felt like they didn't belong. She turned to say something but Chieri was already fawning over the kimono. Nagisa sighed and moved to join her. She wasn't confident enough to be blatant about it, but she was interested as well. The brightly-coloured cloth really was pretty. In the end, Tomochin and Tomoka decided everything between the two of them, but not before Chieri had gone through their entire collection with bright eyes.

Nagisa stripped to her underwear and let Tomochin fuss over her. Her eyes wandered to the curve of Chieri's back as she also changed. Her pale skin was so flawless it was eerie. Her spine was arched slightly back as she stood straight and chatted with Tomoka. Nagisa blushed and put a hand over her chest. She didn't know whether this was admiration or jealousy, but she couldn't look away.

Tomochin pulled an undershirt over Nagisa's head. She leaned in and whispered as Nagisa struggled to pull on the garment. "She really is beautiful, isn't she?"

Nagisa held still as she finally pulled the undershirt into place and Tomochin began to adjust the collar. "Of course," she said.

"I'll make sure she praises you," Tomochin said. She smiled when Nagisa glanced back at her.

Nagisa slapped her cheeks as she gathered herself. Mikako was right about pretty girls, after all.

Nagisa stopped to admire herself in the mirror once Tomochin had finished. Her hair had been tied up and pinned back with shapely needles. It made her look more adult, but she'd still tied her green ribbon around her upper arm. Childish or not, her bond with her mother was too important to abandon.

Chieri approached her from behind. "You look cute."

"Thank you." Nagisa turned on the spot and folded her hands together. "But can't you say I'm beautiful for once? Tomochi worked hard."

Chieri giggled. "You're beautiful. You always are." She wore her purple kimono with assured elegance.

"I'm not convinced," Nagisa said.

Chieri turned to the side and struck a pose. "How about me?"

"It suits you. Everything does, though," Nagisa said.

"These clothes really are amazing. I never saw anything like them at home," Chieri said.

"It's always funny to hear people say that," Tomoka said. "We're bored of kimono."

"I think it comes down to what people are used to," Tomochin said. "But even if we're bored of them-"

"We preserve the traditions. I know," Tomoka said.

"We should probably go. I don't want to keep Mikako waiting," Nagisa said.

"You're right. Time to work." Chieri took Nagisa's hand. "Let's put on a show for her."

Nagisa nodded.

They spent hours posing for Mikako. Chieri was a natural who loved facing the camera and had become accustomed to working for Mikako. Nagisa found posing far harder and more tiring, but she made it through by following Mikako's instructions and imitating Chieri. At first, she'd just tried to act natural, but at length she understood. Mikako's style was more real than reality; everything had to be bolder, brighter and more outlandish if a single photograph was to move people. She photographed an ideal world populated by beautiful people; it was a fantasy that demanded a huge amount from her subjects, and she constantly prodded and probed them. She provoked Chieri by comparing her unfavourably with Yuko and Tomochin. And with the same teasing she drew Nagisa out of her shell by complimenting her while contrasting her presence with Chieri's easy charisma. Nagisa flushed and glowered at the older woman, since nothing was more exhausting than being constantly compared with Chieri, and nothing was more annoying than being told she wasn't suitable as Chieri's foil. Thanks to that anger, she forgot her fear, and struck the same vivid poses that came so easily to Chieri. It was only at length that she realised Mikako's provocations were neither a game nor her natural self. They were an integral part of the process, as important as framing the shot and controlling the lightning. She was unrelenting and tiring to be around, but she brought out their full radiance. Their kirara bounced around excitedly as if they were at a concert and shone down on the two girls. Even that was something Mikako had predicted and compensated for.

They posed with fans, small balls and traditional dolls. Mikako photographed them indoors and in the sprawling traditional garden. Nagisa lost track of time as the process went on. It wasn't good enough to stand next to Chieri. Everything they did had to express their intimacy. However focused they were on the camera, Mikako made them focus on each other as well. Her 'beauty' was more than just physical; their relationship was another ideal she forced them to express. She deliberately blurred the line between friends and lovers without ever crossing it and clearly expressing what they were to each other. That studied ambiguity was probably also part of her reality. They held hands, hugged each other, played games with each other. In one striking shot Nagisa knelt as Chieri sat on a bench in the garden and took the sandals and short socks from Chieri's feet. Her toes were long and delicate. Mikako took photographs as Chieri regally accepted Nagisa's attention then made a show of exposing her bare feet to the cold night air. Nagisa looked up at Chieri. When she thought about it, this wasn't just a lie. She was always drawn to Chieri.

Chieri glanced at Nagisa again then slumped forwards. "You're being unfair, you know."

"I am? Sorry," Nagisa said.

"You always apologise, even when you don't think you've done anything wrong. That's unfair as well," Chieri said. She poked Nagisa in the forehead with a long finger. "Are you enjoying this, or are you just humouring me?"

Nagisa sat back and looked up at Chieri. "I'm having fun as well, you know. Besides, you have nice feet."

Chieri pulled her foot onto the bench and blushed bright red. "I see. Well, that's fine, then." She offered Nagisa her hand.

Nagisa laughed to cover her embarrassment and took Chieri's hand. Chieri's fans knew she was beautiful. That was easy to see from afar. But Nagisa knew everything about Chieri. She could feel the calluses on the tips of her fingers where Chieri gripped her microphone. She'd touched the reddened skin where the unfamiliar strap of Chieri's sandal rasped against her largest toes. She knew Chieri's sweat and tears, her dreams and her nightmares, her dauntless ambition and her selfishness. Nagisa gripped Chieri's hand tightly and held her friend's gaze without blinking for a few heart-beats, then she stood up and brushed herself off. "Don't worry about me. I'm happy if you're enjoying yourself."

"That's what I mean. You're being too kind to me," Chieri said.

Mikako clicked her fingers. "Hello, anyone home? I mean, I can leave it there if you guys like."

Chieri sighed. "You photographed everything, didn't you?"

Mikako made a peace sign with her left hand and held her camera with her right. She had the devil's smile. "Of course. They're beautiful pictures."

"Delete them right now," Chieri said.

"Did you hate it that much?" Nagisa asked.

"It's not about whether I liked it or not," Chieri began. She pouted when Nagisa laughed at her and pinched Nagisa's cheek. "You're getting really cheeky."

Nagisa rubbed the red skin on her cheek. "Sorry. I just wanted to tease you a little."

Mikako raised her camera and snapped another photograph. "Anyway, now let's do something over by the lake. Nagisa, you should take your socks off as well. You'll both be getting your feet wet."

It was a fantasy, but it wasn't a lie. When Nagisa thought about it, she was fine with being used like this.

After hours under a darkening sky, Mikako finally called a halt. They staggered back to the house on sore feet. The Itano family welcomed them back and sat them down to dinner. Nagisa and Chieri chatted politely with Tomochin and her mother, who asked one penetrating question after another about the understudies and the General Election. Nagisa did her best to reply. She was bad at talking about herself. Meanwhile, Tomoka plied Mikako with sake and traded reminiscences about their time in 00. They shared warm laughter and talked over each other in their enthusiasm. Nagisa watched them out of the corner of her eye as she ate. Mikako was always ditzy, but you could never quite work out what she was thinking. It was probably the alcohol, but this time she was speaking naturally rather than veiling her thoughts with pig-latin playfulness. If the two of them had argued before, there was no sign of it now.

Tomochin followed Nagisa's gaze and smiled. "I wonder if we'll be like that in ten years."

"That would be nice. But no one knows what the future holds," Chieri said.

Nagisa shifted her head to glance at Chieri, but her friend had busied herself eating her rice. "What does your sister do, actually?"

"She's a model. That's our traditional career after graduation," Tomochin said.

"I guess that makes sense. Will you do that as well?" Nagisa asked.

Tomochin nodded. "Of course."

"That's kind of amazing. I have no idea what I'll do when I graduate," Nagisa said.

"It's the path laid out for me since I was born. I think you two are more impressive, since you've come this far of your own free will," Tomochin said.

Nagisa frowned. "I think we're pretty normal by the standards of 00."

"00 is anything but normal," Tomochin said. She handled her chopsticks deftly as she pulled away a piece of fish and ate it. "That's why it's fun, of course. I wouldn't fit in anywhere else."

"I know what you mean. It's the only place where I'm judged on my merits," Chieri said.

"I see. Fair enough," Nagisa said. She wolfed down her rice. They were different, after all, and used to being treated differently by others. Whatever Tomochin thought, she was so normal it was boring. This was probably one of those situations where people envied the life they hadn't lived.

Even if the mansion was huge and full of strange traditions, it was restful. The Itano understood them and didn't treat them with deference. It was fun to be around fans, but there was always a line that couldn't be crossed separating Nagisa from them. This was a place where she could feel like herself, just a normal teenage girl, even if it was a living shrine to AKB0048. No, perhaps that was why she could relax. This was a house that saw being an idol as completely normal. They chatted with their hosts, ate sticky sweets, and learned to play mahjong, another game from the ancient world. This time, Nagisa did her best to play to win, just as Chieri did. Tomochin played with an open hand to help teach them while her mother stayed safe for round after round then won the final hand and the match. Chieri pouted while Nagisa just laughed. It felt like forever since she'd last played silly games with Yuka's family.

After the game, they bathed together and relaxed peacefully in the chest-high warm water. It had been a long day. Nagisa admired Chieri from a distance. When they were showering, she'd wanted to help wash Chieri's back, just as she used to do with Yuka and Orine. When she thought about it, actually, they'd invited Chieri at least once that summer. Chieri was used to being washed but she regarded washing someone else as a great novelty and doted on all three of them one by one. But that had been a long time ago. Nowadays, Chieri treated her daily ablutions with tremendous seriousness and stayed a little apart from the others whenever they bathed or showered. So Nagisa had held her tongue. However much she wanted that intimacy, she knew her friend still wanted that much space. She could hardly complain- not so long ago, Chieri was so guarded she wouldn't let anyone in at all.

"You're grinning like an idiot. What is it?" Chieri asked.

"Nothing really. I was just thinking it's nice we get on well now," Nagisa said. She sank into the warm water. "When we first joined 00, I was always making you angry."

"I'm pretty sure you spent plenty of time being angry with me," Chieri said.

Nagisa laughed. That was also true.

"Still, I'm glad you think that. I was worried things would be awkward after yesterday's game," Chieri said.

"Don't be silly. We were just entertaining the fans," Nagisa said.

"True enough. But you get discouraged easily," Chieri said.

Nagisa leaned back and rested her arms against the wood-framed edge of the huge bath. "That's harsher than any of your questions. But I've changed, you know. You were right about that."

"We've both changed," Chieri said.

Nagisa had changed because of Chieri. When she thought about it, she was grateful for that. She still wanted to value her rivals as friends, but she also wanted to work hard and compete with them. She'd had enough of becoming a small black ball and watching Chieri from behind. But she didn't need to say that out loud. If that strange game had taught her anything, it was that they knew each other well enough.

Chieri closed her eyes and dived under the warm water. Her hair spread out behind her like a train of seaweed.

Nagisa watched her and smiled. It felt like they were the only people in the world.

The bath was more like a small pool and the room around it was lofty and beautifully formed. Four lacquered wooden pillars shot upwards like tree-trunks and supported the high ceiling. The ceramic tiles on the floor were brightly coloured and formed bold shapes. Bright bird spread their wings beneath Nagisa's feet as she clambered out of the warm water and began to soap herself down. "This really is luxurious, even by their standards," Nagisa said.

"It's a place only the family and their close friends get to see. " Chieri, ever a quick bather, was already rinsing herself down again with a silver shower-head. "Extravagance can be forgiven."

"Is that how this works?" Nagisa said.

"I think so. But my house is wall-to-wall extravagance, so I don't have much confidence in my taste," Chieri said. She rinsed off her legs then stretched out her right foot. "There. Now my feet are lovely and clean."

Nagisa laughed. "The moment's passed, you know."

"That's a shame. I was slightly enthusiastic," Chieri said.

Nagisa folded her legs as Chieri turned to look at her and busied herself applying soap to her legs. She was used to seeing Chieri naked, and Chieri was comfortable with being watched, but she didn't have the same confidence. Her friend was statuesque, all long limbs and a toned body and slight, precocious curves. Nagisa pinched her stomach and frowned. She'd sloughed off her puppy fat after the months of hard training she'd been through, but she was basically still a plain person. Once again, she was 'normal' and Chieri was, well, something else. Something that looked better in a swimsuit, to be sure.

"You're attractive. You don't have anything to frown about," Chieri said.

Nagisa blushed and stared at her. "How did you-"

"When teenage girls start staring at their stomachs, it can only mean one thing," Chieri said. "But you're fine the way you are."

"Thank you. Honestly, I never used to worry about this, but when you join 00, you get more conscious of it," Nagisa said. She turned slightly away from Chieri and washed herself with the shower-head.

"We already eat well and work hard. You can't do anything else about it, so there's no point in worrying about it," Chieri said. She pulled her hair back with both hands and walked back to the bath for a final soak.

"That's easy for you to say," Nagisa said.

Chieri glanced back over her shoulder and smiled at Nagisa. "Everyone has different preferences, so there's no right answer. There are definitely people who think you're the sexiest girl in 00."

Nagisa folded her arms over her breasts and shrugged. "I'll take your word for that." As far as she was concerned, watching was more fun than being watched.

Chieri looked away and relaxed as she sank into the bath. "How did you find today's photo-shoot, anyway?"

"Um, it was okay, I guess," Nagisa said. She washed herself thoroughly. "I didn't really think about it before, but Mikako's pretty amazing. She has us do ridiculous things, but it works somehow."

"Exactly. I've worked with other photographers, but it's not the same. Tomochin's plans aside, I definitely wanted her for this," Chieri said.

Nagisa nodded. It was easier when Chieri wasn't facing her, after all.

They dried themselves with their backs to each other and changed into the loose yukata that Tomochin had laid out for them. Nagisa took to Chieri's long hair with a hair-dryer while her friend sat still and waited patiently. Chieri had to contort herself into strange shapes in order to reach the bottom of her own voluminous hair, so she had long since abandoned her usual policy of resistance and let Nagisa help her.

Tomochin was waiting for them in the corridor outside. "Are you both ready for bed?"

"Yes. Thanks for everything," Chieri said.

Nagisa nodded. It was weird to be treated like royalty by an older girl.

"I'll show you the way. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," Tomochin said. She led them up the stairs and across the landing to a spacious guest bedroom on the second floor. Two futon had been laid out on top of the straw mats on the floor.

Nagisa sat down on top of her futon. By the time she looked up, Tomochin had already closed the panel door and vanished. "It feels like she's being a little cold."

"I don't think she means any harm. Besides, this a chance for her to talk to her family again," Chieri said. She sat down opposite Nagisa. "Honestly, I'm jealous of her. Everyone here is so kind."

Nagisa nodded. "Mm. I'm just happy for the distraction. The concert's so close."

Chieri leaned forwards slightly and smiled. "At least no one's shooting at us. This show will be easy."

"That's true, but this time we're the stars of the show," Nagisa said. She looked at Chieri and shrugged. "You'll be fine, but if I mess up, I'll have nowhere to hide."

"Don't be silly. I can't remember the last time you messed up in a concert," Chieri said.

"That doesn't mean I won't screw up this time," Nagisa said. She smiled when Chieri frowned at her. "I'll be okay, I know. But it's still scary."

Chieri took Nagisa's hand and smiled. "You should trust yourself a little more. You're better than you think you are."

"I'll try." Nagisa squeezed Chieri's hand. "You're cold again."

"You're just too warm. I'm always worried you have a fever," Chieri said. She let go of Nagisa's hand.

Nagisa giggled. "I see. Sorry."

"It's nothing to apologise for," Chieri said. She ran a hand through her long hair. "But we're so busy every day. The last time we got to spend time together like this was, what, just before we went to the temple?"

"Mm. And before that, I hardly got to see you at all," Nagisa said.

"Really?" Chieri said.

"After the General Elections, you were so busy working with the other elected members," Nagisa said. She folded her hands together. "Maybe it didn't bother you, but I was lonely then. It felt like you were leaving me behind."

Chieri titled her head and smiled. "I remember now. I was lonely as well, but work kept me busy. If I'm working hard, I can forget about everything."

Nagisa nodded. They were together every day, but that didn't mean they could always talk like this. They were always around the others, or practising, or working, or eating, or sleeping. It was so peaceful to just be able to sit with Chieri and talk about all the things that were on her mind. "I can believe that. But I was really jealous."

"I see. Well, you've caught up to me now," Chieri said.

"I'm still a step behind," Nagisa said. "But I'm trying my best. It's more fun when we're together."

Chieri looked away. "I'm inclined to agree."

Nagisa put her hands on her knees and leaned forwards. "Why don't you show me your photo-shoots, anyway? I always have to find them myself."

"It didn't seem appropriate," Chieri said. "And besides, some of them are embarrassing."

"Those are the best ones," Nagisa said. They were supposed to sleep sooner or later, but she was in the mood to talk. She wasn't always the most talkative person, especially at handshake events, but when she was with Chieri words came ridiculously easily. They were just talking about 00 and their experiences, but she didn't mind that at all. In the end, they both loved AKB0048. She lost track of time as they went over their past experiences and argued about quibbling details. Chieri was stubborn so trivial debates ran on and on until they lost interest in what they were arguing about and started talking about something else.

Chieri glanced out of the window as they came to a brief lull in the conversation. It was pitch black outside. "Honestly, though. Life was so much simpler when we were just understudies."

"Do you think so? I was really insecure," Nagisa said. "It's a relief to know you're not just wasting your time."

"Oh, absolutely. I was terrified I didn't have an idol's radiance," Chieri said.

"Seriously? You've always been great at singing and dancing," Nagisa said.

"That's less important than your ability to shine. You could make him shine, remember?" Chieri raised her finger and let her kirara dance around it. "I never could. But anyway, what I mean is that I knew what I was trying to achieve then. I had to perform well and take any chances that came my way and do what it took to succeed. I wasn't always sure how to do that, and that's why I was so worried, but either way, I knew what I was trying to achieve."

"I guess that's true. But I could never even imagine becoming a Successor a lot of the time," Nagisa said. "I was just busy trying to get through one day after the next."

"It was hard, certainly. But now I've made it, well, I still need to do better and become more popular, but that's not good enough," Chieri said. "I'm supposed to do something more than that."

"I think Yuko's right. If you just do what you normally do, it'll probably be fine," Nagisa said.

"I guess. But it's hard right now. When I'm with everyone I sometimes just want to be alone, and when I'm alone I want to be with you and everyone else. It's just, I don't know, I have a lot to think about right now," Chieri said. "About all kinds of different things."

Nagisa nodded. "I think that's fine. You can take as much time as you like."

"I'm performing soon enough," Chieri said. "And besides, I can't keep causing trouble for you and the others."

"You worry too much about stuff like that," Nagisa said. "It'll be fine."

"It still bothers me," Chieri said.

Nagisa sat on her futon and rested her chin on her knee. "It's like you to worry about something like that, but we're still going to support you whenever you need help. Now and in future, that will never change."

"I'll be a terrible ace if everyone's always worried about me," Chieri said.

"I want to worry about you. And besides, you were the one who inspired me to aim for the top of 00. I didn't want to lose to you, or be left behind by you, or something like that," Nagisa said. She tapped her fingers against her knee. "I can't say it well, but I guess what I'm saying is I'm already following your lead. You can be an ace just by being yourself."

Chieri blinked at Nagisa. "I was just running scared of you the whole time, you know. I meant what I said during that game."

"I guess this is why we're rivals," Nagisa said. "But seriously, position zero suits you. I love watching you perform."

"Me too. I mean, I like your dancing," Chieri said. She blushed and looked away. "I'm not _that _vain."

Nagisa giggled. "Thank you." The conversation lapsed momentarily but she just watched Chieri with a relaxed posture.

Chieri glanced sidelong at Nagisa, then leaned forwards slightly. "Actually, this is a good chance. What kind of boy interests you?"

Nagisa looked away. "I told you before, right? It's embarrassing to repeat it."

"You said you liked dependable people, but I think most girls like dependable people," Chieri said. "I'm curious about what else you have to say."

"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it," Nagisa said. She met Chieri's gaze. "What about you? Have you even thought about guys at all?"

Chieri blinked. "Well, I don't know, not in so many words."

"See? It's unfair for you to ask me over and over," Nagisa said.

"I'm not interested in boys. We're idols, so we have to keep our distance anyway, but even in the future I find it hard to imagine myself going out with anyone. I'm always busy and my dream comes first." Chieri shrugged. "But isn't that fine? You're supposed to be the normal one. A teenage girl would normally think about these things."

"I'm an idol too, you know," Nagisa said. "I don't know."

"Then I was right. You haven't thought about love at all," Chieri said.

"You're wrong," Nagisa said. She looked down at the floor when Chieri stared at her. "It's not like I don't think about it. But there's nothing to say."

"Nagisa..."

Nagisa rested her head against her clasped hands and closed her eyes. She knew at heart. She loved everyone in 00, but that wasn't the same as this. She admired Chieri, chased after her, watched her from afar and hung on Chieri's words when they were together. She was so aware of Chieri.

Chieri pulled Nagisa's hands away from her face and clasped them tightly. "I'm sorry. But I wanted to know."

"No. It's not your fault." Nagisa forced herself to meet Chieri's gaze. Her hands were still cold, and her face was so close it scared Nagisa.

Chieri's hands were shaking. "It's no one's fault. It's just I-"

Nagisa stared back at her for a moment and closed her eyes. This was too much.

Chieri kissed her on the lips.

Nagisa's mind went blank as she took a moment to process the unfamiliar sensation. Chieri's body pressed against Nagisa in all the wrong places. It was clumsy and painful. But Nagisa still wrapped her hands around the back of Chieri's neck.

Chieri lingered over the kiss then pulled her head away. Her hands rested awkwardly against Nagisa's futon and she met Nagisa's gaze with lost eyes. "That's why," she said.

Nagisa stared at her. In the wake of that moment's bliss, she was drowning in a thousand questions. "Um, what now?"

Chieri stood and turned away. Her breath came fast; it had been warm against Nagisa's neck. "I'm sorry."

Nagisa pressed her fingers against her lips. This didn't feel real. "I, um, didn't mind."

"I was just teasing you. We're idols, after all." Chieri sat down on her futon and faced away from Nagisa. "I'm sorry, I was being unfair. I won't do that again."

Those words hammered into Nagisa, but they didn't crush her. She pulled herself up and brushed herself up. "It's okay."

"We should sleep. We'll be busy tomorrow, as well," Chieri said. She hid herself beneath the covers of her futon and faced the wall. Her long hair spilled out behind her.

"You're right." Nagisa stood and looked down at Chieri for a few moments before turning out the light. Her memory of the kiss was a brilliant phantasm that crowded out sleep. It felt so strange, on the borderline of reality, that she seared it onto her mind and turned it over and over. If she looked away, it would fade or shatter or become a dream. But Chieri's stiff, cool body had been real, more real than anything else. Even if it was painful, she wouldn't forget.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

The full set of shoujiki shougi questions for Nagisa and Chieri are below for the curious. It was a lot of work to come up with them, and I wish I'd realised in time that the later versions of this game include lists of seven questions, not ten.

_Nagisa's Questions_

One: You say you'd be honoured to succeed to any name, but honestly, you think you're more suited to Atsuko Maeda's name than Nagisa Motomiya.

Two: You always act like you're troubled when Yuko hugs you, but actually, you enjoy the attention.

Three: People always call you a genius, but in your opinion, the other Understudies are just lazy.

Four: You're always polite to her, but you find it impossible to look up to Takamina.

Five: You think of yourself as the most beautiful girl in the 77th Generation.

Six: People say you're a reliable person, but it takes you at least an hour to get up every morning.

Seven: Now that you're the Centre Nova, you'd rather not succeed to a name at all.

Eight: Frankly, rather than working with others, you prefer to work alone.

Nine: You say you have so much to learn from the Successors, but you already think you're as good as any of them are.

Ten: You say Nagisa is your rival, but you don't think she's any match for you.

_Chieri's Questions_

One: In your mind, Yuko should have been the next Centre Nova.

Two: Though you're considered unassuming, the truth you're aiming for Takamina's position in concerts.

Three: You don't think the 8th Mariko is anything like Mariko.

Four: You're extremely proud of your modesty.

Five: Speaking honestly, you find handshake events tiring.

Six: You've never cooked or cleaned anything in your life.

Seven: You won't be satisfied with anything less than coming third in the next General Election.

Eight: You're happy to sing love songs, but you're still too young to be interested in love.

Nine: You'd much rather live on Akibastar than on Lancastar.

Ten: You say you hate competition, but actually you just hate losing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Mikako's Name**

Mikako always pretended she knew nothing and turned everything into a joke, but she'd possessed the insight of a Centre Nova. She'd been the one to open the gate as she soared above the crowd and she'd seen the light and fire that lay on the other side. Day by day, she'd raced higher, searching for something beyond herself, until she'd seen the avarice of the lights that surrounded her and realised continuing on meant death and rebirth. That was too much for her to bear, so she'd thrown everything away and fled with the same determination that had driven her this far. Someone weaker might have talked to someone, left a message, or returned to her parents. But her fear and shame were too strong. She'd taken just enough money to flee and bounced from planet to planet within the Entertainment Protection Sphere while working odd jobs to get by. After three months of running in fear, she'd finally found a place to put down roots.

Kagoshistar was a sparsely-populated backwater on the border between the EPS and the space controlled by the Deep Galaxy Trade Organisation. Unlike many immigrants to the frontier, Mikako had no intention of leaving Kagoshistar's capital, Asashia. It was a pre-fabricated city whose roots were still shallow in the planet's muddy clay, but wherever there was a city, there was a nightlife. Mikako traded on her good looks and baseless confidence and talked her way into several part-time bar jobs. The pay was miserable but it was enough for her to live on and she was free. That in itself was a frightening novelty. When she was an idol, her life was shaped by the relentless discipline of her schedule. She'd worked hard in her own way and enjoyed it, but she'd never had much in the way of free time before and the novelty was disturbing. Everything else had changed, as well. She could eat what she liked. She'd dyed her hair black, changed her name and concealed her eyes with glasses. Doing that was just enough to make her invisible. When she went out with her friends, no one recognised her, and men hit on her without being chased away by security, leaving her to fend off their advances by herself. It was only by degrees that she realised just how strange her old life had been.

The city was full of bright lights. Wherever she looked, Mikako saw AKB0048's faces. They'd cut her out of the picture quickly and efficiently, but she didn't resent them for that. It eased her guilt. But even if they were omnipresent, they were an incredibly distant existence. Even now, she couldn't shake her childish admiration for the glamour and beauty of that world. She brought some fashion magazines and told herself she was just seeing how her old friends were doing out of curiosity. Then she saved up some money and brought an expensive camera and told herself she was just picking up a new hobby. Soon enough she'd run out of excuses and spent her spare time practising and putting together a portfolio.

At the end of the day, she just had a thing for pretty girls.

Roxanne was a bar that had become Mikako's second home. She got on well with the other staff and the clientèle alike, and they were even willing to pose for her photographs from time to time. So when she caught her first big break as a photographer, she wasn't afraid to tell her manager the news the moment she arrived for her shift. "Apparently it's some VIP from off-world who is passing through in a hurry, so they just looked for anyone who could do this at short-notice," Mikako said. She threw her blouse aside and shrugged the white shirt she wore at the bar. "But still, my name's out there, right?"

Hideko smiled and nodded. "What about your evening shift? I'll have to look at the rota." She was a striking older woman who presided regally over the younger women who worked for her.

"No, don't worry about that," Mikako said. She buttoned up her shirt. "I should finish in time to make it."

Hideko put a hand on Mikako's shoulder. "Are you sure? Don't overwork yourself."

Mikako smiled at her. "My stamina's my only talent. I'll be fine."

"Why the anonymity, though?" Chiaki asked.

"Security, right? We're on the frontier," Kanade said. She pulled her shirt over her head. "Maybe they're from 00."

"Sadly not. 00 are performing at Nagostar tomorrow," Mikako said.

"Too bad for you," Kanade said. She put her hand on her hip. "How do you remember that, anyway?"

"For a WOTA like me, it goes without saying," Mikako said.

"Enough chat," Hideko said. "Don't keep the ladies waiting."

Mikako tied her long hair back into a ponytail and waved goodbye to Chiaki. This life had become normal far faster than she'd expected. All in all, she liked being here.

Mikako counted the hours until the day of the big photo-shoot. It was a nervous tension she hadn't felt since she'd auditioned for 00. In a way, it was even worse than that. When she auditioned, she was a child to be taken and taught. But right now, she was expected to be a professional. Still, if there was one thing she'd learned, you had to make the most of your chances, even if it meant feeling like a fraud. The world would not wait until you were completely prepared. She agonised over what to wear before throwing up her hands and picking out plain, comfortable clothes at random. It was probably fine. She was pretty sure a model wouldn't want to be upstaged by their photographer. She shoved her camera into her shoulder bag along with her phone and some spare make-up. Last of all, she carefully placed her sleeping blue kirara on top of a folded handkerchief in her bag. When she'd fled, she'd done everything in her power to make her kirara stay with the others, but it had stubbornly followed her even as her radiance withered and died. In the months since then it had just slept. The occasional slight twitch was the only sign it was even alive.

The journey to the studio took her outside her comfort zone in the shadier parts of Asashia and into the bright, lofty centre of the city's commercial district. She lost her way twice walking up and down the wide streets and eventually ran up the stairs to the studio with just five minutes to spare. She stepped inside with flushed cheeks and tried to control her breathing.

The studio had already been set up. A handful of bodyguards in suits and a few other people stood round the edge of the room. Tomoka sat patiently on a faux-marble pillar in the centre of the room, dressed fancifully in a flowing white toga. Her eyes slid to Mikako and she smiled. "Thank you for coming."

Why are you here? Mikako checked herself just before she betrayed herself with that fatal question and stared at Tomoka with a racing heart. Then she threw on a husky accent she'd used in an old drama and replied. "Not at all. You're Tomochin, right? It's an honour."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm happy you recognise me," Tomo said. She folded her hands together and looked Mikako in the eye. "And you are?"

"Midori Kato," Mikako said. Thank god Tomo wasn't familiar with her old work.

Tomo's agent, Shinju Sato, approached Mikako and exchanged the usual brisk greetings. But Mikako relaxed slightly. If she could fool Tomo, she could certainly fool a shrill twerp like Shinju. It was a terrifying development, but when she thought about it, it didn't have to be the end of the world. Her disguise was good enough to fool her hardcore fans and escape the intense media scrutiny that surrounded her disappearance. Hiding herself from Tomo for hours would be an order of magnitude harder, but if she didn't let her accent slip or take off her glasses, it shouldn't be impossible. Rightly or wrongly, she'd always had confidence in her acting.

"The motif is 'beauty from the ancient world'," Shinju said. She handed Mikako a tablet with fuller instructions. "We have no time, so we need to do all this today. I hope you can handle this."

"Don't worry. It should be fine," Mikako said. She scrolled down the document and read fast. They really were expecting the impossible. Tomo was a skilled and patient model, but there wasn't enough time in the day.

"Can you do this?" Tomo asked.

Mikako smiled and passed the tablet back to Shinju. She'd never heard of a model worrying about her photographer. "You'd better believe it. Let's get to work."

The morning passed in a blur as they sprinted through dozens of shots per set then changed set while Tomo threw on new clothes. Shinju spoke up a few times at first, then fell back and merely observed when Mikako got into the swing of things. Mikako didn't pay her much heed. Above everything else, she was just having fun. Tomo really was different from the enthusiastic amateurs she found in the bar. She knew a couple of women who were as beautiful, but none of them had the same radiance. Part of it was sheer experience, the ability to speak to the camera, but that wasn't all. Tomo had a mesmerising quality that lay beyond that. With a model like that at her disposal, Mikako wasn't nervous at all. "Is this the face that launched a thousand ships? You look bored."

Tomo blinked. "I'm sorry."

"I'm your Paris, so look like you're in love with me," Mikako said.

Tomo put a hand over her mouth and giggled. "Very well." She composed herself again and looked straight at Mikako with shining eyes.

Mikako shivered as she took the next shot. "That's it. You can do it if you try."

Tomo pouted. That was another face that would destroy an ancient civilisation.

Shinju eventually stopped them in time for lunch. Mikako and Tomo both beelined for the waiting lunchboxes and nearly crashed into each other. Mikako stepped back and waved apologetically. She had to remember she wasn't the talent any more.

Tomo passed her a lunch-box and smiled. "Good work."

"Thank you. You're pretty good yourself," Mikako said.

Tomo laughed. "What did you say your name was, again?"

"Midori Kato," Mikako said.

"That was it," Tomo said. She picked up her own lunch-box. "Shall we find somewhere to eat?"

"I'm going to step aside. I need to talk to someone," Mikako said. She made her excuses and ducked out of the studio to eat in a nearby park. If she had to talk to Tomo for any meaningful length of time, she'd give herself away. They knew each other too well.

The afternoon passed in much the same way. Tomo dutifully became the women of history, from Helen to the First Atsuko via Cleopatra, Cornelia, Tomoe Gozen, Hojo Masako, Elizabeth the 1st, Oichi, Marie Antoinette, and the original Tomochin. They'd prepared costumes and props for each woman in turn, ensuring the photography was frequently punctuated by Tomo changing away from Mikako. It was a world away from Tomo's usual modelling of the latest fashions or casual glamour shoots for magazines and websites. Mikako guessed it was part of a project under Tomo's agency or 00 itself, but what that had to do with Kagoshistar was beyond her. Regardless, it was a phenomenal chance for 'Midori' to put her name to a meaningful project. She ignored her own fatigue and forced the pace as the hours ran by, but they still overran the assigned time by an hour. With Shinju breathing down her neck, Mikako finally managed to take the last pictures early in the evening. Tomo sunk onto the nearest chair and caught her breath while Mikako handed over the photographs to Shinju.

Shinju slotted the datacard into her tablet and scanned the photos with a practised eye. "I'll admit I'm surprised. You're quite good."

"Why, thank you," Mikako said.

"We'll pay you within 24 hours," Shinju said. "But if you're serious about this, you should move off-world. There isn't much call even for 00 to come to an ordinary backwater like this."

"I'll bear that in mind," Mikako said. Why Tomo put up with a person like this was beyond her. She made her excuses then checked the time on her phone. She'd be cutting it fine for the evening shift. But part of her didn't want to leave. Tomo was right there. All she had to do was step forwards and confess. She didn't know what would happen after that, but at the least, she'd get to spend time with Tomo. She could ask how everyone was really doing. She could explain herself. She could apologise. This coincidental meeting was probably her last chance.

Tomo looked across the room at Mikako and frowned. "What will you do now?"

Mikako smiled. "I'd better take off. I have another job to go. Good luck with everything." She turned away before Tomo could reply. This was fine. They lived in different worlds now.

Mikako arrived late at Roxanne and changed in a hurry before rushing out to join the others by the bar. It was a busy night and she spent a good twenty minutes rushing back and forwards to deal with everyone's orders before they finally had a chance to catch their breath.

Hideko stepped out and leaned against the wall. "So, how did it go?"

Mikako made a peace sign and grinned. "Just fine. They almost praised me."

"Never mind that," Chiaki said. "Who _was _your mystery celebrity?"

Mikako folded her arms. "Even if I tell you, you won't believe me."

"Stop being smug and tell us already," Kanade said.

Before Mikako could reply, a slender man in a dark suit opened the door to the bar and looked around. The waitresses looked at him quizzically and glanced at each other. Mikako shrugged and headed towards the door.

"No one's going to shoot me." Tomo followed him inside. Her long black coat was cut in the latest style and from head to toe she oozed sensual fashion. She took off her sunglasses and stowed them in her clutch while her bodyguards fanned out and looked around. "Satisfied? Then wait in the car until I'm done."

The WOTA members nodded to her and retreated.

"Bye-bye." Tomo waved to them then turned to face a bar that had already been thrown into chaos by her haughty arrival.

Several well-dressed young women approached her in a sudden rush. "You're Tomomi Itano, right?" the first one said.

"Mm. I'm Tomochin, Itano Tomomi," Tomo said. "Pleased to meet you."

"I knew it! I'm a huge fan!"

"Thank you." Tomo glanced briefly at a petrified Mikako. "I'll be with you momentarily, Miss Photographer."

As the news spread, half the bar stood and moved to surround Tomo. Mikako used that chance to break away and retreat to the bar. Once was a coincidence, twice was enemy action. She needed to get out of here.

"Oh my god," Kanade said. She put her hands over her mouth. "It's really her, isn't it? What'll we do?"

Hideko caught Mikako's gaze. "This was your model?"

"Yes." Mikako shook her head. "I need to go." She made a break for the back of the bar.

Hideko caught her arm and held her with a firm grip. She moved her head next to Mikako's ear and whispered. "She's here to see you, isn't she? Mii-chan."

Mikako stared at the older woman with wide eyes. "How..."

"Call it woman's intuition." Hideko smiled and slapped Mikako on the back. "You have a job to do, don't you? I'll hold you to that."

Mikako nodded and stepped back. Her whole body was frozen in ice again.

The bar was dark and romantic, half-light by yellow lamps shaped like flowers. Normally, it was a place young couples came to enjoy each other's company in that twilight. But Tomo's presence transformed everything. With charm and grace, she greeted everyone who took an interest in her, shook their hands, and posed for photographs with them. Mikako watched her from the safety of the bar and felt her soul melt away. Tomo had never been especially popular, but no one in 00 had more poise. This suited her, far more than it ever had suited Mikako. Right now, that difference between them felt insurmountable.

The gathering crowd hassled Tomo until she eventually agreed to sing one song. Kanade and Chiaki had already joined them and now Kanade turned back to face Hideko. "It's fine, right?"

Hideko smiled. "This is a free planet. Go ahead."

"Then I'll sing," Tomo said. She gestured for the patrons to step back and give her some space, then caught Mikako's eye. "Miss Photographer should know my version of '10nen go no kimi e'. Could you put the instrumental version on?"

Mikako pulled her phone from her bag and connected it to the bar's sound system. "Okay." This was her last chance to run away, but no. This was already beyond that point. If her fragile life was going to pieces anyway, she'd at least listen to Tomo's song.

It began like a music box and rose with Tomo's warm voice. "How long had passed since we first met? You, who changed your hairstyle a few times. But our relationship's as distant as a jewellery window."

Mikako shivered as Tomo sang. Only hardcore fans knew this song, and it wasn't an anthem like River or a karaoke song like Heavy Rotation. The others could only listen in awed silence to Tomo's voice as she mouthed those unfamiliar words. But Mikako knew '10nen go no kimi e'. She knew Tomo's pride when she was given the chance to revive one of her beloved ancestor's songs, the effort she'd put it into the learning it, the fear she'd felt when she first performed it in front of her fans with no one to hide behind. She hadn't forgotten. Tomo hadn't forgotten, either.

Tomo's kirara painted the shadowy bar a brilliant gold as she sang. "I'll wait for you until ten years have passed, even if you end up with someone along the way. As we remain friends, I'll watch over your delicate back with a smile."

Mikako's peach-shaped kirara shot out of her pocket and circled her head. But Mikako barely even noticed. She looked through the gathered patrons and met Tomo's gaze. Tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

Tomo held Mikako's gaze and blinked back tears. "I'll meet you after ten years have passed. Hold me with those hands of yours. I'm calling out for your name this close, yet... you haven't realised it this whole time. Please show me a seed of magic." She closed her eyes as the music faded away and accepted the applause in silence. "Thank you. You're all so very kind. But I came here to see a friend of mine, so please excuse me." She walked through the crowd of patrons and stopped in front of Mikako. "Shall we dispense with the games?"

Mikako nodded. "Okay."

Tomo gripped Mikako's white sleeve with one hand and looked across the bar at Hideko. "Are you the most senior person here?"

"I'm the manager, Hideko Iwai. I've been looking after Midori for a few months now," Hideko said.

"Thank you for taking care of her." Tomo smiled. "I'll be borrowing her for this evening, so put her wages for the night on my tab. Is that sufficient?"

"There's no need for that." Hideko bowed slightly and looked into Tomo's eyes. "Please enjoy yourself tonight, my lady."

Tomo nodded. "I'll take you up on that kind offer."

Hideko seated them opposite each other at a small table at the back of the room. A confused Kanade took their order and backed out to leave them alone. Mikako rested her head on her hands. "When did you realise?"

Tomo sighed. "Why do you think I'm on this planet to begin with?"

Mikako stared at her. "You mean you came here..." She trailed off. She didn't want to say it.

"I came here to see you. If you thought you could just vanish without me doing anything, you're a tremendous idiot," Tomo said. She rested her chin on her hands. "I had my family mobilise our contacts with WOTA's intel network. You've been pretty careful, but you're not perfect."

"So what the hell was today? Charity?" Mikako said. She slammed her hands on the table and glowered at Tomo. How many ways would she find to make her feel stupid today?

"That was a pretext to meet you. But the assignment was real. It's all for my new photobook," Tomo said. She shrugged as Mikako glared at her. "We're going forwards with your photos, though. You're rude, but you have talent as a photographer. I was really surprised."

"So you had a back-up prepared," Mikako said. She slumped back in her seat when Tomo just shrugged again. "Why would you do that? I've been trying my best to make it on my own."

"So I could meet you. But you broke my heart back there, you know," Tomo said. "You avoided me as much as you could then took off the moment you'd finished. I'm really quite angry about that."

"I didn't know what to say. I still don't," Mikako said.

"At least let us know you're alive," Tomo said. "You made Shiori cry, you know."

"Sorry." Mikako rested her head on her hands. That didn't surprise her. Shiori had always been a crybaby.

Tomo sighed. "Well, never mind. At least I can report back to her now."

Mikako took her glass of wine from Kanade the moment it arrived and drank a third of it in one gulp. Hideko had done what she could, but everyone who could stare at them was staring at them. She was tired of being sober.

Tomo smiled as Kanade passed her the orange juice she'd ordered. "Thank you."

"This is special treatment, you know," Mikako said. "You should order at the bar."

"Really?" Tomo said.

"This isn't a restaurant, you know," Mikako said.

"I see. Well, that's neither here or there," Tomo said. She put her glass down. "How have you been?"

Mikako leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She wished she knew. All the good things and bad things overlapped and threw her into confusion. She couldn't shake her sense of shame, but she still had hopes for the future. She wanted to forget about 00 and she wanted to live in that glamorous world again. And she loved and hated the fact that Tomo had come to see her. All of it jumbled up and overwhelmed her. "Well, I'm alive," she said eventually.

"That's a start," Tomo said.

They spent the next few hours chatting and arguing. As drink loosened Mikako's lips, she found the younger woman fascinating and infuriating in equal measure. They'd lied to each other and that cut deeper than either of them liked to admit, but when they tried to work out who was to blame, they just made each other angry. It didn't help that Tomo was angry she'd left and Mikako was angry that she'd ever been expected to stay. But Mikako still couldn't resist asking about everyone in 00. They'd spent years together, singing, fighting, and struggling for their dreams. Even if she'd quit in such an ugly fashion, she still adored them.

Tomo glanced at the menu while she talked. "So apparently the understudies are practicing 'Nagisa no Cherry'. At-ka is centre, of course. I knew she'd rise up, but I didn't expect it to be this fast."

"You'll be calling her Acchan soon enough," Mikako said. This was how easily 00 could replace someone.

"Maybe. I don't know how I feel about that." Tomo looked up at Mikako. "Have you decided what to order?"

"I guess. I know what we serve, but-"

Tomo leaned out of her seat and faced the bar. "Excuse me!"

Kanade bobbled forwards. "Yes?"

"I'll have spaghetti bolognese," Tomo said. She sat back and glanced expectantly at Mikako.

Mikako put her head in her hands. "Just the usual, please."

"Yes. Right away," Kanade said. She walked backwards a few paces while staring at them, then turned and fled back to the safety of the bar.

Mikako sighed as she watched her friend run away, then rounded on Tomo. "Like I said, this is a bar. You should go up to the counter to order."

"Oh, yes, you did say that," Tomo said. She shrugged. "They don't seem to mind."

"You get special treatment. But aren't you embarrassed?" Mikako said.

Tomo folded her arms. "Not really. I'd be more embarrassed if I didn't get special treatment."

"Well, I'm embarrassed," Mikako said. "Seriously, knock it off."

"You're so embarrassed of us you changed your name and hid your identity. Whatever I do won't stop you from being mad I'm here," Tomo said.

"I was trying to hide," Mikako said. "So much for that."

"You didn't even leave a message. For all we knew, you were dead. So I'm sorry if I've inconvenienced you, but you brought this on yourself," Tomo said.

"You didn't have to do it this way," Mikako said.

"You didn't have to lie to my face, but you did," Tomo said. They glowered at each other, then she looked away and rested her chin on her hand. Her eyes wandered over the cheap paintings of shadowy female figures hanging from the walls. "But whatever. Just what have you been doing since you left?"

Mikako finished her glass of wine and put the glass down. "Nothing much. Just working odd jobs and moving from planet to planet."

"Knowing you, you'll have a few more stories than that," Tomo said.

"They're boring stories," Mikako said.

Tomo glanced sidelong at her. "Try me."

Despite her better instincts, Mikako told her everything. The story of her journey spilled out, one fragment at a time, a disjointed series of vivid scenes, brief meetings and swift partings. It was the first time she'd been able to really talk about herself since she'd left. That journey only made sense to someone who knew she was Mii-chan. She'd thrown a world away and seen so many new things as a result. Tomo teased them out with one quiet question after another and knocked Mikako's disjointed recollections into shape. When she was that way inclined, she could listen in a way that flattered the person in front of her and made them the most important person in the world. Mikako felt that warm glow as much as anyone else would and couldn't muster the energy to do anything but prattle on. She knew it was an affectation; Tomo preferred talking to listening. But Tomo had talked plenty already that night, and once Mikako had started to talk about herself, it all spilled out in a flood and swept everything away.

It was probably the wine.

They talked until the bar closed. Word had spread and the Roxanne had been filled to bursting with a motley variety of fans. When Tomochin went to pay her bill, she found an anonymous benefactor had already paid on her behalf. She tipped Kanade, signed a dozen more autographs, then grabbed Mikako's arm before she could slip away and dragged her friend out into the street. A shower of flashes assailed the pair from all sides as photographers strove for the perfect picture. Mikako threw her hands desparately over her head and closed her eyes. She'd known it would end up like this.

Tomo threw her fashionable coat over Mikako's head. "Come on. Let's go." She waved off the dozens of questions from the wall of journalists on either side of them and pushed towards her car while her bodyguards warned off anyone who came too close.

Mikako gripped the coat tightly. She appreciated the gesture, but it was too late. Tomo knew that, of course. In the end, she'd come here to end the convenient lie called Midori Kato.

Tomo belted herself in and turned to Mikako. "Where do you want to go? Your place or mine?"

"Aren't you done with me yet?" Mikako said. "You've had your fun."

"This might be the last time, you know. That bothers me even if you don't care," Tomo said.

Mikako shrugged. "You have a point, I guess. Then my place." She pulled out her phone and sent the address to the car's computer.

Tomo sighed as the car slowly extracted itself from the crowd and drove away. "I hate it when people pay for me."

"I thought you liked special treatment?" Mikako said. The WOTA members who had piled into the car with them were trying not to stare at her. Hopefully they'd be professional enough to keep secrets.

"That tradition began as a mark of respect for soldiers. It's not appropriate for us," Tomo said.

"Aren't you a kind of soldier? You fight DES all the time," Mikako said.

"I perform in concerts all the time. Sometimes people try to stop me, but we don't campaign against anyone," Tomo said. "You know that as well as I do."

"I know. I'm just wondering if the fans understand that distinction," Mikako said. When she was a member, she'd felt the same way as Tomo. They'd always prioritised singing and dancing over fighting. But that sentiment aside, they trained to fight and performed in places where DES would certainly engage them. Even if they didn't kill when they fought and the kirara protected them, wasn't that being a soldier at heart?

"I'd like to think so," Tomo said.

Mikako glanced sidelong at Tomo. These cars were always too cramped. "So you're taking off tomorrow?"

Tomo nodded. "I need to catch up to the others. Duty calls, and all that."

"It's unlike you to miss a concert," Mikako said.

Tomo leaned against the window. "Photobooks don't make themselves."

Mikako smiled. That was very like Tomo.

Mikako's apartment was on the eighth floor of a shabby, prefabricated tower block. Apparently it dated back to the original settlement of Kagoshistar and the intervening years had not been kind. So she led Tomo inside with a certain amount of reserve. If she recalled correctly, Tomo's bedroom was larger than her flat.

Tomo took off her shoes and looked around. "This is, ah, convenient. You really are close to that bar."

"The walls are too thin. I've heard things you wouldn't believe," Mikako said.

Tomo followed her into the room proper. "It's not as if you want for money."

"I'm not using that account. They could trace me," Mikako said.

Tomo stepped past her and started to make her messy bed. "Your sloppy habits haven't changed. This is what happens when no one's here to look after you."

Mikako sighed. "I'm not an idol any more. It's fine."

"That's no excuse," Tomo said.

"Want a drink? All I have is coffee, though," Mikako said. She picked through the detritus crowding the sink and pulled out two chipped mugs.

"Yes, please," Tomo said.

Mikako cleared away a stack of loose photographs away from her small table and sat opposite Tomo. She stiffened immediately as Tomo focused on her. "What?"

"You can use your account, you know. If 00 was that way inclined, they could find you in days. But right now, they're pretending you don't exist. I only found you because my family mobilised our contacts in WOTA, but even then, the upper management tried to warn us off." Tomo shrugged. "Thankfully, mom and gran supported me."

"You shouldn't have picked a fight with them. Even you have a career to think about," Mikako said.

"This is important," Tomo said.

"Still, I guess I'm an embarrassment to them now. But I'm fine with that," Mikako said.

"It's complicated," Tomo said. She folded her hands together. "Tell me, why did you quit?"

Mikako drank from her mug to buy herself time. "Because I was scared," she said. "In my last concert, I saw something. Felt something. The kirara all around me were reaching out to claim me. It sounds stupid, but I know. I've always seen things no one else can see, ever since I opened the Gate. If I'd carried on like that, it would have been the end of me."

"I see," Tomo said. She closed her eyes. "I believe you."

"Tomo, what is the Centre Nova?" Mikako said. She leaned forwards. "You of all people should know. It's not just a position decided by management. It changed me. It almost ended me. It doesn't make sense!"

"I don't know. I've never seen your world. I probably never will," Tomo said.

"You haven't experienced it, but you've been told. I wasn't the first Centre Nova, so the Itano will remember," Mikako said. "You were the only one who cried when I opened the Gate, you know. I haven't forgotten that."

"That was a moment of weakness," Tomo said. "But you're right. I was told."

"So tell me," Mikako said.

"What good will it do you now, even if you know?" Tomo said. "You've already made up your mind."

"After everything they put me through, they owe me the truth," Mikako said.

"You're not owed anything. You're not a member of 00 any more," Tomo said.

Mikako stood and slammed her hands against the table. "Why the hell are you doing this to me? If you knew and didn't warn me, you were setting me up to fail, or worse. You'd have let me die, wouldn't you?"

"Even now, you're looking down on what it means to be the Centre Nova. Nothing I could have said or done would have changed anything. But I can tell you this: if you'd succeeded, that would have meant more than just dying," Tomo said.

"I've seen it. Whatever you think that might be, it's hell itself-"

"That came from within you," Tomo snapped back.

"Why is this my fault?" Mikako demanded.

"Who else can you blame? I'm sure you had the ability," Tomo said. "Ten generations! From the beginning of everything, my family's served AKB0048, but not even once have we opened the Gate. You had that gift, that affinity that could move everyone and change everything! I followed you because I believed in that..."

"That was just something everyone else decided. I was always afraid, and the pressure was unbearable," Mikako said.

Tears ran from Tomo's eyes. She wiped them away with her fingers and bit her lip. "If you'd asked me then, I could have told you. Maybe that was the one time I'd have been able to help you walk that path. But it's too late."

"Who cares about that? I'm asking you what you people were making me do," Mikako said.

Tomo drew herself up and glared at Mikako through her tears. "When I was entrusted with the name Tomomi Itano, I was taught all our secrets. But the fate of the Centre Nova is not something I can reveal to any outsider, even you."

Mikako stared at her, then slumped back and collapsed into her chair. "What the hell? Is that how little I mean to you?"

"That is Sensei-Sensei's will. But it's also something I believe in. I'm sure you would not have regretted it if you had followed that path until the very end," Tomo said.

"You're wrong. No one should have to end up like that," Mikako said.

Tomo stepped forwards. "Mii-chan, come back. Even if you're not the Centre Nova, you can still perform as a member and graduate with your head held high. I'll do something about management. Everyone would support you. Everyone wants to see you."

"It's too late. You're right about that, if nothing else," Mikako said.

"Not yet. You can still-"

"I don't want to return there ever again! No, in the first place, I wish I'd never joined!" Mikako shouted. She watched Tomo's face crumble and her fists balled. "How much longer are you going to make me play along with your selfish games? We just had the same job, it's not like we were ever friends!"

For a moment, Tomo was about to shatter and fall. Then ten generations of dignity caught her and pulled all the emotion from her face. "I see. Then, at least give me something to take back to the others."

Mikako averted her gaze. "I don't have anything to say to them." She'd used words like swords, but in the end, she just couldn't reach her.

"You were our hero. Our aspiration. But seeing you now, you're just pathetic. You've thrown away your position, your past, your name itself, all so you can run and hide," Tomo said. "Even if you hate us, you should call yourself Mikako Minamino."

"I don't care what you think. I can call myself whatever I like," Mikako said. She was doing it again.

"Yes, you're right, you can do as you please. I'll take my leave." Tomo swept away.

Mikako stayed slumped in her chair while Tomo put on her shoes. She was frozen in ice, just like the miserable days right after she'd fled. She'd done her best in her own way, so why did this have to happen now? If they were just going to lie to each other and hurt each other, why couldn't Tomo have stayed away and left her with her memories?

Tomo appeared in the doorway. She rubbed her hands on the sleeves of her coat and stared at Mikako with red eyes. "If you want to become a photographer, I'll make sure 00 backs you up. I owe you that much for the guidance you gave me when I was an understudy."

"I never asked for that!" Mikako said. "I don't want or need your help."

"I wasn't asking for your permission. Good night." Tomo walked away.

Mikako knew she had to go after her, but her body wouldn't move. She heard the front door close and slammed her fists against the table.

Her kirara flew around her then settled on top of her head.

Mikako picked it up and let it rest on her palm. "You're an idiot. If you'd gone with her, you'd have been able to go home."

Her kirara closed its eyes and fell asleep again.

Mikako picked it up and threw herself onto her bed. She stared blankly up at the ceiling. She could remember everything. A slight, pretty girl who'd greeted her nervously and spoke as if it was her destiny to stand on the same stage as the Successors. She'd bloomed and grown so fast. For the first time, Mikako had been afraid of a teenage girl. Tomo didn't know that, so she'd rushed on in her wilful pursuit of the older woman and inherited the name her family had protected for so long. It was then she'd first pierced her ears and put on those heart-shaped earrings.

_You've become an adult now, so show your fans that. Just change something about your appearance and everything else will follow. _

_That's not what I'm worried about. I need to do better-_

_That's fine. If you want to change yourself, begin with something small. That's what I did when I became Mii-chan. _

Mikako rubbed her black hair. This time, it hadn't worked.

The next day was quiet and miserable. The local news was full of speculation about Tomo's sudden visit. Tomo just said she was visiting a friend, but the fact she'd visited the Roxanne only fuelled the speculation of those who claimed she'd violated the rules. It was all so ridiculous. If she said she'd visited Mii-chan, everyone would have accepted that, and then the dogs would have turned and ran down Mikako instead. But Tomo had put on her best self-righteous face and said the media should respect the privacy of her friends. For her part, Mikako just lay on her bed and listened to one idiot after another say whatever liked about Tomo. It made her miserable, but she couldn't quite stop herself from listening.

But as one day followed another, her life began to move again. Meeting with Tomo had made her miserable, but it also took a great weight from her shoulders. And little by little, she changed, starting from the moment she reintroduced herself to the other waitresses as Mikako Minamino. She removed the dye in her hair, started taking money from her old account, and screwed up enough courage to call her parents. Once she'd begun to take her old life back, obstacles that had towered over her like impassable mountains fell away with surprising ease. One way or another, the galaxy was ready to forget about the 5th Mii-chan. Once she realised that, it wasn't long before she left Kagoshistar. It was another bitter-sweet parting, but at least this time she gave herself the chance to say goodbye.

Mikako didn't know how she felt about 00 when everything was said and done. But she still loved the beauty and glamour of that world, so she pushed forwards to see it from another angle. Not as a fan or as a member, but as one of the experts who worked from the shadows, the faceless priests of the cult of celebrity. Oddly enough, that was more comfortable for her than standing in the limelight, even if it lacked the passion and fire of her teenage years.

Perhaps that had been her real aptitude from the start.

* * *

Mikako sat on the wooden walkway running around the edge of the Itano house and looked out into the garden. Night had long since fallen. The buzz of the city was muted here, shut out by the high walls. This place had been consciously built to create a self-contained world, a place where the Itano could survive as living relics. In that sense, it was both beautiful and frightening.

Tomoka knocked and entered the guest room. She looked across the room at Mikako's back. "Feel like a drink?"

"And how," Mikako said. She didn't turn around.

Tomoka knelt next to Mikako and placed two shell-like cups between them. She poured Mikako a cup of sake. "Now this was something we didn't get to experience in 00."

"This is a bit more sophisticated than what I usually drink," Mikako said. She took the long-necked flask and filled Tomoka's cup. "Frankly, I thought I'd never see you again."

"Everyone makes mistakes when they're young. I was no exception." Tomoka drank from her cup and smiled. "But the passage of time sanctifies everything, even our mistakes. I ended up believing there was nothing I could do about it."

"Go easy on me. Just say you have regrets," Mikako said. She drank as well.

"I do. How about you?" Tomoka said.

"I have so many regrets I lost count years ago," Mikako said. She drained her cup in a single gulp.

Tomoka filled her cup again. "Do you regret joining 00?"

Mikako threw her head back and looked up at the sky-dome. "No. That's the only thing I don't regret. That'd be the same as denying myself."

Tomoka smiled. "That's not what you said before."

"I was lying," Mikako said. "I do that from to time to time."

Tomoka giggled. "I thought so. You've never stopped loving 00." She took another sip of sake.

MIkako sighed. "What happened here during the occupation?"

Tomoka put her cup down and glanced sidelong at Mikako. "Less than you'd think. I don't want to bore you."

"I need to know." Mikako met her gaze briefly then looked away.

Tomoka nodded and spoke. The moment 00 fled, the battle for Akibastar was over. The Itano family had surrendered on behalf of the city rather than suffer any more futile deaths. With gritted teeth, they'd played host to their conquerors in order to avoid death. Night after night, Tomoka and her mother had entertained DES's officers, won their favour, and earned their protection from the brutal reprisals against anything connected to 00 in the city. They'd walked a narrow and humiliating path, but they'd had no choice. Tomoka had buried her heart and entertained the flirtatious attentions of a dozen young officers under the disapproving eye of DES's admiral. More than one man harassed her to the point she nearly abandoned all civility. She was protected by the only woman amongst DES's officers, Captain Susumu Hashimoto. Hashimoto was different from the others. She was Zodiac's representative, not part of the occupation force. She interrogated the Itano about the identity of AKB's master, the nature of the temple beneath the concert hall, and the power of the Centre Nova. She also demanded to see their ancient scrolls and spent hours pouring over the history of 00. Thanks to her influence, the Itano family were able to survive, but Tomoka still regarded her unique interests as eerie. She'd vanished like a ghost the day Zodiac's CEO was assassinated and left the Itano family in the hands of the other DES officers, but within twenty-four hours, 00 had returned and miraculously liberated Akibastar. The Itano had always believed that moment would come, but by the end, they'd been the only ones.

Mikako punched the floorboards. "I knew it. You went through hell thanks to me, so why the hell did you invite me here?"

Tomoka wrapped her hand around Mikako's balled fist. "You should treat yourself more gently."

Mikako pulled her hand free and looked away.

Tomoka sighed. "We were lucky. Others had it worse. But DES are the ones at fault. Your betrayal by Zodiac means nothing in comparison to their sins."

"You're wrong. If it wasn't for me-"

"That's arrogant," Tomoka said. She smiled when Mikako stared at her. "Even if you'd done nothing at all, Chieri's father would have found a way to research information on the Centre Nova. He may well have ordered the invasion of Akibastar just to access 00's records and the temple for that purpose."

Mikako sighed and picking up her cup with shaking fingers. "You still haven't answered my question, you know."

"I wanted to make up with you, and Tomoyo gave me that chance. That's all there is to it," Tomoka said.

Mikako drank in silence, then put her cup down again and rubbed her forehead. "I'd feel more comfortable if you shouted at me, you know. Do me a favour, here."

"I refuse. You're an idiot, but you're my idiot." Tomoka looked out into the darkness of the garden. "It's been decided that it's time for me to marry."

Mikako blinked and turned to stare at Tomoka. She had no idea why the conversation had ended up there, nor did she know what to say.

"Apparently there's no one suitable on Akibastar, but my mother has arranged meetings with a man from Sebustar. If that falls through, she has other candidates in mind. Connected men who should produce children who look like Tomomi Itano," Tomoka said. She carried on talking to the night without worrying about whether Mikako was even listening. "To be honest, I'd rather carry on with modelling full-time, but it has to be this way."

Mikako finished the rest of her cup of sake in one gulp. She was nowhere near drunk enough to deal with this. "Is that really going to make you happy?"

"I have no idea. But apparently it's important," Tomoka said. "If it was you, what would you do?"

Mikako waved her hand. "If I was an Itano, I'd have been disowned long ago. Don't ask me." She poured Tomoka more sake.

Tomoka giggled. "That's probably true. But I like that part of you."

They whiled away the evening drinking and talking to each other. Tomoka was a very mellow drunk. She rambled about everything under the sun and frequently dropped whatever she was talking about as if it had burned her and leapt to another topic. Mikako had a better head for drink, but she still ended up the worse for wear. She should have stopped a while ago, but she didn't give a damn about responsibility or tomorrow. Right now, she just wanted to lose herself. In a hazy way, she sensed Tomoka wanted the same thing. If the future was scary, just forget everything. Tomoka was great company, not least because she was a supermodel. Just being with her was like dashing open an old scar. Slender, ditzy, with a warm voice and the legs of a goddess. It wasn't fair. They drew closer to each other, poured each other drinks, and laughed together. Mikako abandoned her usual inhibitions and flirted outrageously with Tomoka. Tomoka blushed, laughed, drew closer. That was downright confusing, but Mikako just went with the flow and kept teasing her. Their hands touched, then Mikako pulled Tomoka into her. Tomoka stared into her eyes and wrapped her arms around the small of Mikako's back. Mikako leaned in and they shared a clumsy kiss.

Tomoka leaned back slightly and stared at Mikako. Her breath was warm.

Mikako had seen that face before. Right now, Tomoka would give her everything. She was drunk, but not so drunk she didn't know what to do. Her body ached and her heart raced as manic excitement gripped her. Right here, right now, she could. She leaned in again then stopped as her eyes lighted on Tomoka's heart-shaped earring. She'd always worn those earrings. Always, always, always, ever since she was a gangly teenage girl who looked up to Mikako with expectant eyes. Mikako swept her into a tight embrace and kissed her on her ear. "You're drunk. Let's get you to bed."

"I'm fiii-ne," Tomoka said. She struggled feebly as Mikako picked her up and carried her out into the corridor, then rested her head against Mikako's chest and closed her eyes.

Mikako staggered along the dark corridors of the mansion as she tried to remember the times she'd visited this house as a teenager. That was a long time ago and she was pretty drunk right now and Tomoka was surprisingly heavy. She seethed and hated herself in silence before clumsily depositing her burden on top of her futon. Tomoka was already sound asleep.

Breakfast the next morning was an interesting experience. Mikako had lived a pretty varied life considering her age, but this was the first time she'd had to eat a full Japanese breakfast while nursing a hang-over and making strained small talk with the mother, father and grandmother of the woman she'd very nearly slept with the night before. She wasn't exactly surprised that Tomoka avoided all eye contact and picked at her food in miserable silence, but what struck her was how quiet Chieri and Nagisa were. Tomochin had to carry the conversation on that side of the table, so much so she was talking to herself half the time. Nagisa managed a few dutiful acknowledgements and forced herself to feign a little interest, but her attention slipped time after time and she ended up glancing at Chieri as if she was afraid her friend would fly away. For her part, Chieri was still half-asleep and entirely silent. Mikako was happy to make her excuses and escape the moment they'd finished eating breakfast. Her job here was done. The rest was up to Nagisa and Chieri.

Mikako spent the morning photographing Tomochin while she waited for Chieri and Nagisa. But unlike her work with the younger girls the day before, these photos were going to be uploaded on Tomochin's blog. The motif was intimacy, so at Mikako's behest Tomochin wore some of the casual, comfortable fashion she normally kept private. With ten generations of art at her back, Tomochin relaxed in the expansive comfort of her home and read books, drank tea, and practiced her calligraphy. For her part, Mikako kept her interventions to a minimum and focused on the job at hand. Tomochin was Tomoka's seventeen year-old self; the family resemblance was so strong it was like the older sister had been scrambled in time. Only a soft variation in the tint of Tomochin's tawny hair proved she was a different person.

Tomoka dropped by around noon and watched the two of them with one hand on her hip. "You're a workaholic, Mikako. Let her rest."

"It was her idea," Mikako said.

"That's true. But we've taken plenty of pictures now. Thank you," Tomochin said.

"You're welcome. I'll send them to you later today," Mikako said.

Tomochin glanced between the two women and smiled. "Those two should be back soon, right?"

"I think so," Tomoka said. "I've stayed out of the way."

"I need to pack up a few things. I'll be back soon," Tomochin said. She nodded to Mikako and glided away.

Tomoka sighed. "She's a cunning one, isn't she?"

"She learned that from you," Mikako said. "How are you feeling?"

Tomoka shrugged and tilted her head away from Mikako. "I'm fine now. How about you?" She certainly looked fine.

"Better than I've been for a while," Mikako said. She blinked at her own honesty.

Tomoka smiled. "The house is dreary. Let's go for a walk in the garden."

Mikako slipped her camera into her shoulder-bag and nodded. There were certainly worse ways to spend a morning. They walked side-by-side towards the lake. Mikako glanced at Tomo's long-fingered hand, then thought better of it.

Bright light filled the garden. Tomoka faced the lake and folded her hands together. Mikako stood behind her and looked out at the artful landscape concealed behind four high white walls. The garden was an image of classical beauty, meticulously tended lawns punctuated by bright, season flower-beds and banks of raked gravel. The lake was a shining mirror that reflected the sky-dome high above them. But Tomoka's beauty cast the brilliance of the garden into the shade. She wore her kimono with an easy grace and tied her hair back to expose the back of her neck. Mikako was entranced by her smooth white skin, but she couldn't block out the voice which told her Tomoka was doing this to entrance her. The relationship between a model and a photographer was like that.

Tomoka turned to face Mikako and pressed a finger against her lips. "What was last night?"

Mikako smiled. "Just a a good-night kiss."

Tomoka blushed. "I see. How gallant of you."

Mikako fled her gaze and looked across the lake. Her azure kirara flew around her then shot towards Tomoka. "You should look after yourself more. You were playing with fire."

"I was with you, so it was fine." Tomoka raised the palm of her hand and let Mikako's kirara settle above it. "I wouldn't let my guard down with anyone else."

Mikako chuckled. "Honestly, you've always been more mature than me, so I guess it's pointless for me to worry about you."

"That's not true," Tomoka said. Her own demure amber kirara slipped out from the sleeve of her kimono and flew close to Mikako's electric-blue kirara. "What are you going to do from now on?"

"Tsubasa offered me a contract," Mikako said. "So I guess I'll be watching over the kids for a while."

"That's respectable. You always were a great pilot. But what is it you really want to do?" Tomoka asked.

Mikako shrugged. She had too many answers and she wasn't smart enough to carry the numbers and make everything balance out. "I guess I want to protect Chieri Sono from herself."

"It's her choice to make," Tomoka said.

"Does a thirteen year-old have the right to make that choice?" Mikako said. She held Tomoka's gaze and relived everything. The stubbornness they shared and the blood that ran beneath their skin, the truths they'd never acknowledge out loud. Her anger and shame at running away. Tomo's frustration at never being able to rush ahead. The fact that both of them would have been happier if Tomoka had been the one God chose. She stepped forwards and took Tomoka's outstretched hand. "I still haven't made up my mind, so I'm going to watch her. Depending on my conclusions, I might end up being an enemy of your family and 00 itself, but this time I'm not going to run away. That's the only thing I can promise you."

"That's a dangerous confession." Tomo smiled. "Fine. Do as you like."

"You too. If you don't like whatever brown-haired idiots they've lined up for you, be sure to turn them down," Mikako said. "Forcing yourself isn't going to make anyone happy."

Tomo laughed. "So you are worried about that."

"Of course!" Mikako said.

"Give me your phone," Tomo said.

Mikako handed it over, then turned and looked back towards the mansion. Nagisa, Chieri and Tomochin were walking towards them. "I guess we've run out of time."

"Nonsense. We're just getting started." Tomo made a peace sign in front of her eyes and photographed herself with Mikako's phone. "You've made me wait for a long time, though."

"Sorry. You know what I'm like," Mikako said. She waved at Nagisa.

"Too true." Tomo's fingers fluttered over the screen as she entered her number. Once she was done, she handed her phone back. "If you're worried about me, ask how I'm doing."

"I will. I'll see you later, I guess," Mikako said.

"I'll hold you to that," Tomo said.

Mikako met up with the younger girls and headed for their Guardian Angels. She glanced at the new number in her contacts list and smiled. When she jumped back to home, she discovered Tomo had set her smiling self-portrait as the wallpaper. "Honestly, you've been photographed ten thousand times, and that's what you put there?" she said to herself.

Tomochin glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "You're the only one who has that photograph, though."

Mikako blushed and turned her phone off. "I guess so." She turned back to face Chieri and Nagisa. "Tomorrow's the big day. Are you kids ready?"

Nagisa nodded. Her eyes were unblinking. "I'll do everything I can to make the concert a success."

"Likewise. I'll thank my fans and show everyone I'm ready," Chieri said. She ran a hand through her

long hair. "I'm not like you or Acchan, but that's fine. I'll do it my way."

"That sure sounds like the first and only Chieri Sono," Mikako said. Honestly, they were looking at her with such bright, unblinking eyes. When she was young, maybe she'd looked like that, all precociousness and raw sincerity. "Let's head back. Tsubasa will be waiting."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I've always felt the Fifth Mii-chan/Mikako Minamino was one of the most interesting characters in 00. In a show generally characterised by optimism and people who do the right thing in the end, she's someone defined by failure despite or even because of her own good intentions. She has a unique stand-point as an outsider who was once the ultimate insider, so I enjoy writing from her point of view.

The exact time-frame of 00 is hard to piece together. The 11th Tomochin was on-stage at Lancastar four years ago, but the 10th Tomochin is shown in practice alongside the 8th Kojiharu and the 5th Takamina. Kojiharu, in turn, was in the same generation as the 9th Yuko and succeeded after Yuko did. And all these people were thus contemporary to the 13th Acchan and Mariko. Mii-chan's era was before that, but not so long ago, given Mariko seems to know her personally. My best guess is that the 10th Tomochin performed with both Centre Nova in that period and that the immortal Shiori/Takamina was present in both eras and carried on to witness one more (or two if we count Yuko), but it's hard to say anything for sure. That being the case, I'll have fun with it.


End file.
